The Medical Technician/Phlebotomist will function in a non-supervisory capacity in the main VA Laboratory under the general supervision of a Sr. Medical Laboratory Technologist and/or a supervisory Medical Technologist or designee. Primary job location is at the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System main laboratory at the Spark M. Matsunaga Medical Center Ambulatory Care Clinic at 459 Patterson Road, Room 2-A04, Honolulu, Hawaii 96819. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/20/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-05 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment. For this vacancy, employees under the GS pay system must have held a GS-03 or higher position in the last 52 weeks to be eligible for the GS-05 grade level. 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. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work, that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled.OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have For the GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled. (Transcript required). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Do you have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (Transcript required). ASCP, NCA or equivalent Phlebotomy certification or certification eligible is required. Incumbent must be at least eligible for certification before being considered for this position. If uncertified when hired, incumbent has one year to obtain certification or will be terminated as determined by the hiring facility. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Specimen Collection Technical Competence 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: Moderate lifting, carrying, and/or pushing/pulling of 25 - 50 pounds. Lifting/positioning patients' arms/hands for phlebotomy procedure. Requirement for large motor and fine motor skills/coordination. APTITUDES: Intelligence - Ability to understand instructions, reason, and make judgments. Requirement: High Verbal - Ability to understand and use medical terminology and concepts associated with the laboratory in verbal communication. Requirement: High Audible - Ability to perceive audible communication essential to customer service and safety to both patients and employees. Requirement: Moderate/High Numerical - Ability to perform arithmetic operations quickly and accurately. Requirement: Moderate Spatial - Ability to understand forms in space and understand relationships of plane and solid objects. Requirement: Low/Moderate Form perception - Ability to perceive pertinent details and objects in pictorial and graphic material. Requirement: Moderate Color determination - Ability to perceive variations, contrasts, similarities, and differences in colors. Requirement: High Clerical perception - Ability to perceive details contained in verbal or tabular material. Requirement: Moderate/High Motor coordination - Ability to coordinate eyes and hands to finger rapidly and accurately in making precise movements with speed. Requirement: Moderate/High Finger dexterity - Ability to move fingers easily and skillfully, Requirement: Moderate/High Manual dexterity - Ability to move hands easily and skillfully. Requirement: Moderate/High Eye-hand-foot coordination - Ability to move the hand and foot coordinately in accordance with visual stimuli. Requirement: Moderate 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/. ["Duties include but are not limited to the following: Phlebotomy Duties: Phlebotomy duties are a major component of this position. At his level the incumbent must be fully competent and proficient at performing this responsibility. The incumbent must be able to meet the established Phlebotomy draw standard of performing a minimum of eight (8) patient draws per hour (during peak hours) and able to provide accurate specimen collection instructions to patients (e.g. clean catch urine collection, stool for 0 & P, 24 hour urine collection, etc.). Only general supervision is provided. Knowledge of proper phlebotomy techniques and use of equipment and supplies is required. The incumbent must maintain a success rate of 85% and an exam score of 80% to be considered successful. Incumbent will be responsible for knowing and following all laboratory safety requirements. Laboratory safety requirement will be strictly enforced. Assist with the performing and monitoring of in-patient draws at the VA Community Living Center (CLC). Contact providers with minor phlebotomy problems concerning patients and ensures that all problems are reported to the laboratory supervisor or designee. Incumbent must be able to provide coverage for other staff members as appropriate. Incumbent must be able to handle situations of patient syncope and/or disruptive behavior according to facility and laboratory policy and procedures. Specimen processing and Shipping: Receive and accession samples from the ACC Lab phlebotomy room, the ACC acute care unit, Home care nurses, the Community Living Center, Leeward CBOC, Hilo CBOC, Kona CBOC, Maui CBOC , Kauai CBOC, Samoa CBOC, and all other VA affiliated sources. Obtain and maintain certification in the Packing and Shipping of Hazardous Substances. Must be able to pack specimens and label outer packaging in accordance with all IATA and DOT regulations. Prepare specimens for transportation and shipment by FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, and/or other contracted courier service. Centrifuge, sort, prepare appropriate aliquot sample tubes, and deliver appropriate samples for in-house testing to the appropriate testing areas. Receive incoming calls from the physicians and/or clinic for add-on tests or canceled tests. Incumbent must be able to maintain all necessary files and records for phlebotomy quality assurance programs. Notify supervisor of any potential deviation from normal operating procedures for approval. Computer operations: Incumbent must have basic knowledge and ability to perform required Laboratory computer activities. The incumbent must be able to demonstrate proficiency and competency in the following computer operations: Patient identification and order retrieval in both Vista and CPRS, accession full and partial orders, reprint barcode labels, look up specimen requirements, and resolving minor computer problems. General computer knowledge includes but is not limited to basic internet navigation, access Outlook e-mail, basic word processing, access and complete mandatory online training modules, and replacement of barcode label and/or printer paper rolls. Incumbent must comply with all VA information security and patient privacy regulations and policies. Diagnostic Tests and Procedures: Incumbent will be provided with training for each waived testing procedure required for the position. Scope of waived testing includes but is not limited to the following: urinalysis, 1NR, whole blood glucose, Hemoglobin Al c, oral HIV antibody, and immunochemical fecal occult blood testing. Technical competency for each procedure must be achieved and maintained continually. Theoretical knowledge of the test methodology and factors affecting test performance is required. Independent judgment is required to determine validity of waived testing results. Incumbent must be able to identify and/or trouble shoot problems with test results and test kit reagents. Incumbent will refer all questionable test results immediately to the Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Sr. Medical Technologist, or other designated supervisory Medical Technologist. Incumbent will be subject to all laboratory, VA, Joint Commission, and other regulatory requirements regarding documentation of quality control and patient testing. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm and occasional Saturdays Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician (Phlebotomist)/PD03558A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for this position Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.