Health Technician in Brookings, Oregon

Summary The incumbent serves as a Health Technician (Processing) in the Roseburg VA Health Care System Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services specifically under the Brooking VA Clinic in Brookings, Oregon. The incumbent is responsible for performing multiple duties in the central accessioning and specimen processing area. These complex duties include reference laboratory specimen processing, clerical functions, patient testing, and outpatient phlebotomy. Responsibilities Major Duties: Specimen Receipt and Processing – The incumbent is responsible for receiving and preparing requests for testing and specimens into the clinical laboratory and verifies the accuracy and completeness of the request. Identifies unusual conditions and discrepancies, which may cause erroneous test results. Confers with Medical Technologists on any questions of specimen integrity. Accessions all requests into the hospital computer system. Uses order entry by multipurpose ordering option and other laboratory computer options such as accessioning by ward order entry. Must properly use approximately 200 computer codes for laboratory tests. Receives telephonic inquires and corrects discrepancies with hospital personnel. Incumbent follows procedures for processing biological specimens, understands sample requirements for tests and clearly communicates those requirements. S/he separates and routes the specimens to the specific laboratory section that performs the testing. Reference Laboratory Specimen Processing – The incumbent receives all specimens that are sent to commercial reference laboratories for testing. The volume of testing sent to the commercial reference laboratories is approximately 150-200 specimens per day. The individual must be knowledgeable about the specimen requirement for each reference laboratory test and the test ordering procedures for each of the reference laboratories. Reference Laboratory Specimen Processing – The incumbent receives all specimens that are sent to commercial reference laboratories for testing. The volume of testing sent to the commercial reference laboratories is approximately 150-200 specimens per day. The individual must be knowledgeable about the specimen requirement for each reference laboratory test and the test ordering procedures for each of the reference laboratories. The incumbent processes all reference laboratory specimens according to strict guidelines to assure specimen integrity. This requires knowledge of differing requirements for approximately 300 laboratory tests. This includes specialized procedures for infrequently ordered reference tests. S/he contacts the reference laboratories to research the requirements on new tests that are not identified in the reference laboratory directories. In the processing of the specimens, the individual uses laboratory equipment such as centrifuges, refrigerators, and freezers, in addition to consumables such as transfer pipettes, laboratory pour-off tubes and reference laboratory specimen containers. The incumbent must assure the equipment is in good working order before use. On occasion, the individual is required to measure the volume of a specimen or adjust the pH of a urine specimen prior to sending the test to the reference laboratory. This requires the knowledge to package specimens with various temperature requirements and meet the federal guidelines for shipping diagnostic specimens and biohazardous materials. Work Schedule: (4) 10-hour days. May rotate as coverage needed to include weekends and holidays. Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD30652A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet specialized experience within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Collects, processes, & stores samples according to general collection protocols. Uses proper infection control, laboratory safety, and universal precautions when collecting samples. Performs various technical laboratory procedures such as computer test access, computer search for past and future patient lab orders. Uses a computer to access data and communicate results to physicians, nurses, and other authorized medical staff. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. Preferred Experience: 1 year of Phlebotomy 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: Work is performed in a laboratory atmosphere and requires regular and physical exertion such as walking, bending, recurrent standing, and moderate lifting. The work requires specific physical characteristics and abilities and dexterity needed to perform intricate analytical and technical procedures. Entering patient information, test orders, and data in a computer may result in physical problems form the effects of repetitive motion and eyestrain. Laboratory instrumentation makes constant noises which could lead to hearing loss over long periods of exposure. The position may also require assisting geriatric and/or disabled patients. The incumbent must have normal color vision. 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. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. 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.