Qualifications

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
• Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation
• 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
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is desirable
• Grandfathering Provision
• The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 Hybrid qualification standards
• Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation
• Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation
• 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 Determinations: GS-6 (a) 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 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform routine, standardized vascular ultrasound procedures where the technician is not expected to deviate from established procedures
• (b) In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to perform standardized, routine vascular ultrasound procedures and/or examinations of upper and lower extremity, abdominal, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular vessels
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology including location and function of major body organs and structures as they relate to vascular ultrasonography
• Ability to prepare preliminary reports from the examination including documentation of procedural difficulties in the medical record
• (c) Certification
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is desirable
• GS-7 (a) 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 positions to be filled
• This would be experience which demonstrates that the technician has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform complex procedures requiring the ability to select appropriate equipment based on symptomology and the objective of the examination and the ability to adapt procedures and techniques to enhance diagnostic results
• (b) In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to perform noninvasive vascular ultrasound procedures or examinations of upper and lower extremity, abdominal, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular vessels which require adaptation of procedures or instruments
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology including location and function of major body organs and structures as they relate to vascular ultrasonography
• This would also include knowledge of physiological influences on the hemodynamics of blood flow
• Knowledge of pharmacology and chemistry to understand drug reactions, action, effects, and method of administration specifically related to vascular ultrasonography
• Knowledge of disease entities that impact the vascular system and their influence on the test results to select the appropriate procedures
• Ability to obtain a patient history and perform and appropriate physical assessment based on patient presentation and type of exam to include observation, inspection, auscultation, and palpation
• (c) Certification
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable
• GS-8 (a) 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 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform noninvasive vascular ultrasound procedures as a senior technician
• (b.) In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of cross-sectional and longitudinal vascular anatomy in normal and abnormal vessels, anatomical planes and tissue structures, physiologic effects of disease entities that impact the vascular system, signs and symptoms of acute and chronic vascular disease, and the characteristic appearance of aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, thromboses, stenoses, occlusions, AV fistulae, and morphology of atherosclerotic plaque formulation
• Ability to provide Doppler information of peripheral vessels
• demonstrate characteristic differences related to the organs they supply
• accurately quantify carotid artery stenoses
• and identify and correlate specific waveform analysis, plethysmographic tracings, velocity changes, and pressure gradients characteristic of normal, obstructed, or occluded vessels or grafts
• Ability to perform intracranial (transcranial) vascular examinations
• Ability to operate the instruments to extract the highest quality image utilizing the appropriate transducer frequency, Doppler angle, focal zones, gain, depth, color map, wall filter, and sample volume
• Ability to provide objective data to document progression or regression of disease
• (c) Certification
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable
• Preferred Experience: Previous experience in undertaking duplex examination of the vascular system
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 08
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 06 to 08
• Physical Requirements: ???????See VA Handbook 5019