Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Description:

Nuclear Medicine Technologists have responsibility for providing a wide range of specialized nuclear medicine procedures, including diagnostic imaging, radioassay, in-vivo cell labeling; evaluating abnormal results; using and maintaining equipment; setting up and monitoring quality control; working within guidelines from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Department of Transportation (DOT), National Health Physics Program, Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) among others.

Requirements:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Certification: All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N). NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following:
• [(1) Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program,
• OR
• (2) Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology(JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB.

Exceptions. Non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate NMT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a)(1)(D). Failure to obtain certification [within 1 year from the date of appointment] is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This may result in termination of employment. [(1) Failure to Obtain Credential. In all cases, NMTs must actively pursue meeting certification requirements starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become certified within 1 year from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0601 NMT occupation and may result in termination of employment.]
(2) Loss of Credential. [Once certified, NMTs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted certification. Loss of credential will result in removal from the GS-0601 NMT occupation and may result in termination of employment.] For occupations which require an active certification at all grade levels, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) in assignments above the 3 journey level only, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may remain at an appropriate lower grade level in the occupation when both of the following apply: the credential is not a requirement and a placement opportunity exists.

??????Grandfathering Provision. [ ]All persons employed in VHA [as a NMT] on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: [ ] (1) Such employees in an occupation that requires a [certification], may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the journey (full performance) level, or [changed to lower grade] within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a certification only at higher grade levels must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to the higher-grade levels. (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (5) If an employee who was [in the NMT] occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status, and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

NOTE: Technologists functioning as multi-modality technologists require

• Physical requirement. VA Handbook 5019. pre-employment physical is required.
• English Language proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determination: GS-11,Nuclear Medical Technologist:
Experience: Candidate must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level: Experience include but not limited to; a full understanding of proper methods of receipt, use, storage, and disposal of radioactive material; properly and independently handle unusual circumstances; perform and evaluate daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly quality control on all imaging and non-imaging instrumentation and auxiliary equipment, provide basic patient care, and can recognize and respond to emergency conditions. It is expected that they routinely and independently perform the full scope and complexity of these responsibilities and receive guidance from higher-level or supervisory staff members for only the most complex patients.
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical KSAs: Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results.
i. Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results.
ii. Knowledge and skill in use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome.
iii. Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings.
iv. Ability to obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose. Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures.
vi. Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce.
vii. Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions.

Preferred Experience: 5 years experience, certified NMT. SPECT CT Experience

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 11.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019