Medical Instrument Technician (Vascular)

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. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this position. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 level. Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. Certifications in the field of Vascular include Cardiovascular Credentialing International, (CCI) as a Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Medical Instrument Technologist (Trainee), GS-04 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. OR, Education. Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate’s degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of basic medical terminology. 2. Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used. 3. Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress. 4. Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted.5. Ability to communicate orally and in writing. Medical Instrument Technologist (Trainee), GS-05 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. OR, Education. Successful completion of 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor’s degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions. 2. Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment. 3. Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities. 4. Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures. 5. Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine. Medical Instrument Technologist (Vascular), GS-06 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to perform standardized, routine vascular ultrasound procedures and/or examinations of upper and lower extremity, abdominal, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular vessels. 2. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology including location and function of major body organs and structures as they relate to vascular ultrasonography. 3. Ability to prepare preliminary reports from the examination including documentation of procedural difficulties in the medical record. Certification: Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is desirable. Medical Instrument Technologist (Vascular), GS-07 & GS-08 – Please see the education section of this announcement for these requirements. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II Appendix G27, Medical Instrument Technologist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-8. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Preferred Experience: Registered in vascular and echocardiography ultrasound (RVT or RVS and RCS or RDCS). Two (2) years of vascular imaging experience. Completion of a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited ultrasonography training program. Bachelor’s degree in Ultrasonography, Radiology, Biological Sciences, or a relevant health sciences field. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.. Work Environment: Work is preformed in a n office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
This position is located at Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System at the Biloxi and Pensacola Outpatient Clinics. The duties and responsibilities are carried throughout the medical center including all administrative and clinical areas involved in with the service.