Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the requirements below within 30 calendar days of the closing date listed on the announcement 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
• English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with the VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j
• Experience and Education: (1) Experience
• Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work
• OR, (2) Education
• One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position
• OR, (3) Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
• 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)
• Grandfathering Provision
• All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• Grade Determinations: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade of a GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization
• Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing), GS-8 One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-7. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Distributing and prioritizing workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations
• Assuring an even workflow and distribution of the workload
• Revising work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload
• Assigning work to staff based on experience and training needs
• Monitoring and reporting on the status of work
• Reviewing work in progress or spot checking work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines
• Assessing the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical medical equipment, material and instrumentation
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds
• Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed
• Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilization, monitoring, and distribution of RME
• Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues
• Preferred Experience: Graduate of Certified Sterile Processing Program
• 1-2 years experience as a Sterile Processing Services Lead or Sterile Processing Service Supervisory experience
• 1-2 years experience as a Surgical Technician
• Preferred Certification: Level 2 Veteran Affairs Surgical Technician Certification HSPA and/or CBSPD Certification All Certifications are to be ACTIVE 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-8. Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation), gastrointestinal intestinal endoscope reprocessing hub, and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus
• The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted
• The work requires proper body mechanics when standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages/instrument trays (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds)
• The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation
• On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment
• The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm
• The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers
• The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items
• The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown
• The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling
• Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment
• The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.