Career Center

This position is located in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. The incumbent is a Health Technician performing a variety of clinical and administrative functions. Comprehensive health care is provided in the areas of medicine, surgery, mental health, spinal cord injury, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, oncology, auditory, speech pathology, ophthalmology, dentistry, geriatrics, long-term care, and home care. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Time in Grade: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-4 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Applicants must meet the below specialized experience and/or education. Specialized Experience: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4 in the normal line of progression in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) needed to successfully perform the duties of the position and that is typically in or related to this Health Technician position. Specialized experience includes:1) Performs blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer system, syringe, butterfly or capillary finger sticks with minimal number of failures, patient bruising or required repeat collection, ensuring samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with least possible delay; 2) Correctly label all blood tubes, instructs patients on proper specimen collection procedures and provide service in a friendly, compassionate, veteran centric manner; 3) Process for correctly identifying patient information according to regulatory agencies; 4) Knows proper techniques for accessioning, processing and storage of specimens; 5) Performs bleeding times, glucose tolerance testing following procedures and utilizing timing interval computations; 6) Performs all types of specimen collection in a courteous manner while providing for patient comfort; 7) Able to respond to, report and assist in emergency situations. Must know first aid procedures for the care of patients who become sick or faint while having blood drawn; 8) Educated in identifying adverse reactions to venipuncture procedures, such as dizziness, nausea and hematomas; 9) Follows proper procedures when incidents of fainting and convulsions occur is anticipated to be carried out until further help arrives; 10) Greets, receives and checks in patients; 11) Computerized Patient Records; and 12) Techniques for successfully completing difficult &/or hard sticks. OR, Substitute Education for the Experience. Applicants may substitute education for experience: Applicants must have successfully completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation? (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR, Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants must possess an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualifications requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. NOTE: Our experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-XX. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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. ["Processes, Examines, Accessions Specimens: Processes a wide variety of complex specimens from hospitalized patients and patients from outpatient and community based clinics. Receives, routes and stores specimens noting labeling, contamination, hemolysis, shortage or other errors in sampling, recognizing common environmental or other considerations that could affect the results. Be familiar with tests performed throughout the laboratory, i.e. chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, microbiology, and cytology. Selects the correct method of resolution for problem samples and orders and informs team leader or supervisor of problems that cannot be resolved. Performs manual procedures as required during computer down times. Prepares samples, slides, smears, or other types of specimens (i.e., blood, urine, tissue) common to the laboratory. Performs blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer system, syringe, butterfly or capillary finger sticks with minimal number of failures, patient bruising or required repeat collection, ensuring samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with least possible delay. Following proper procedures when incidents of fainting and convulsions occur is anticipated to be carried out until further help arrives. Verify and evaluate a variety of physician generated test orders for these specimens in medical center database, generates bar coded patient identification labels with laboratory testing accession numbers, affixes the labels to the correct specimens General Laboratory/Administrative Duties: Functions as a resource person and troubleshooter for clinic personnel in executing order entry and results options. Reviews orders in VistA to ensure that all necessary orders are drawn. Provides order numbers to technical staff for orders that need to be cancelled for various reasons, i.e. duplicate order, patient no longer on medication, etc. Investigates missing or incomplete patient laboratory orders. Assists with the development of technical bulletins, procedures, training materials and other program materials, which ensure accreditation and compliance with all regulatory agencies concerning patient testing, result reporting, and proficiency testing. Responsible for receiving and storage of Laboratory supplies. Audits records to ensure appropriate classification, quantity, catalog information, etc. Communicates all issues necessary, such as but not limited to: supply requirements, lab problems, accidents, patient requests and sample errors. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 4:00am-8:00am Alternating holidays & weekend (Part-Time) and Monday - Friday 1:30pm-5:30pm ( Part-Time) - subject to change based on the needs of the agency\nPosition Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD03708A\nPhysical Requirements: The work requires extensive and recurring physical exertion such as standing for long periods of time, bending, lifting, walking, stooping and stretching. The work requires manual dexterity and a large degree of concentration."]