Health Technician in Bronx, New York

Summary This position is located in the Nursing Department of the JJP VA Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. Health Technician serves as an advanced technician for outpatient care settings such as; primary care, surgery, mental health, and specialty clinics. The incumbent may serve in a medical center, community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC). Responsibilities The incumbent performs ongoing patient care duties in an outpatient clinical setting. These tasks are not all inclusive and require the demonstration of appropriate training and documented competence prior to their performance. The incumbent may assist with or perform other related approved technical health care procedures under the direction and supervision of the licensed personnel as competency is demonstrated and documented conditions that may impact the patient’s health status. The incumbent will complete approved templates and tools, such as the outpatient intake form, normal result notes, and follow up treatment protocols established by the agency. Mental Health Services: The incumbent assists in behavioral/psychiatric situations in an outpatient setting. This can include assisting licensed personnel with crisis intervention, management of aggressive or suicidal psychiatric patients, by providing one-to-one observations and applying prevention and management of disruptive behavior techniques (PMDB). The incumbent performs duties focused on communication techniques required to complete the questioners and templates approved for use in any outpatient clinical setting, including active listening, restating, and mirroring. The incumbent will maintain a safe and therapeutic environment for the patient while promoting a sense of worth and dignity under the supervision of the licensed personnel. Clinical Tasks: The incumbent assists outpatient licensed staff with the delivery of care to patients with complex, specialized, and potentially life-threatening situations. The incumbent assists licensed staff with preparing patients for medical evaluation, setting up equipment, passing instruments and providing treatment during in-person or virtual visits. Performs venipuncture according to written protocols to ensure proper collection, labeling, handling and delivery of blood specimens to the lab. Uses aseptic technique to obtain blood cultures and performing EKGs. Observes and monitors 1:1 situation while maintaining a safe environment and observing universal precautions. Cares for patients in isolation utilizing appropriate PPE. Transports patients to required destinations (including the morgue). Administrative Responsibilities: The incumbent performs all medical clerical operations related to the practice, including, Registration, Encounter forms, ICB, RTC and Means Test. Completes work orders; sets clinic up for next day; retrieves medical profiles and laboratory results as needed. Incumbent possess the scheduling option in VSE, CTM, and VISTA. Incumbent uses the scheduling options to schedule outpatient clinic appointments or uses the scheduling option for an administrative function (close encounters; no-shows). When scheduling clinic appointments, the incumbent uses established business rules to schedule appointments for veterans. This includes clinic visits and/or consultations and recall reminders. Incumbent complies with the mandatory training requirements for the outpatient scheduling process. Incumbent complies with the business rules for monitoring and clean-up of delinquent recall reminder list. Incumbent ensures accurate and timely entry of recall reminders and conducts timely outreach to veterans. If timely scheduling cannot be accomplished, the Supervisor is informed. Other duties: Conducts or assists with the training of personnel in if appropriately trained, certified and/or qualified, for example: facility formal preceptors and Telehealth Presenter (TCT) instructors. Can conduct or assist with stand-downs, community health programs, health-care screenings, and immunizations. May be a member of hospital-wide committees to enhance care for Veterans. Performs other duties as assigned. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8am – 4:30pm Telework: This is not a telework position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD21Z86A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) – See “Additional Information” below for details. Qualifications English Language Proficiency Requirement: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to perform the duties of this position. AND In addition to the English language proficiency requirement, in order to qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/29/2024. Individual Occupational Requirements Specialized Experience: Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-6 Specialized Experience: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: provide extensive ancillary/diagnostic support services to primary care providers such as the completion of vital signs including pain assessments, completion of clinical reminders, obtaining preliminary medical history, providing order entry for provider’s signature, input of electronic progress notes at time of care, exit interview input, appointment scheduling, consultation/completion status input, arranges for hospital admission, reports tests results to clinician, provides educational instruction for patients/family. OR, Education: Must have successfully completed one-half year of graduate education (9 semester hours or equivalent), or internship directly related to the position with a major that included courses directly related to the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. OR, Combination of Specialized Experience and Education: Must have an equivalent combination of successfully graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. GS-7 Specialized Experience: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: preparing a variety of technical and administrative tasks in support of clinic operations, ordering and maintaining supplies for unit, transporting specimens and reusable medical equipment to specified location, stocking supplies in exam rooms, maintaining various unit logs and other related clerical duties associated with patient care and treatment, providing ongoing monitoring of vital signs, performing testing for blood glucose monitoring, arranging and passing medical instruments and materials to medical/nursing professional for a variety of tests and procedures. OR, Education: Must have successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education (or 18 semester hours) or internship directly related to the position with a major that included courses directly related to the work of this position. Such graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. OR, Combination of Specialized Experience and Education: Must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed one-half year of graduate education (9 semester hours or equivalent) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. Note: This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clerical Clinical Data Collection/Documentation Diagnostic Medical Testing Patient Care Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work involves extended periods of bending, standing and walking. Generally, the work requires recurring physical exertion with assisting patients. Work Environment On a regular and recurring basis, employee is exposed to infection, exposure to communicable diseases and contagious diseases. The incumbent’s assignment requires him/her to comply with special safety and health precautions by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) according to universal precautions For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management’s website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Unofficial transcript is accepted. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant’s criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.