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The purpose of the Health Technician is to provide support of specialized procedures for acute care nurses and medical providers to ensure efficient, high quality care. She/he provides clinical, programmatic, technical, and clerical support in the interdisciplinary inpatient setting. The position works at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Nursing Service, Specialty Hospital Based Service (SHBS) and works closely with nurses, physicians, and other members of the acute care team. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/10/2023. 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 06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS 05. 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. 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. Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) 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. 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 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 interviews patients and completes basic health screening, assists with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and exams by preparing patients, recognizes the need for, and assists with emergency measures, assists with transportation needs, communicating between various departments, and coordinating delivery of medications to patients. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have graduate education or an internship directly related to the work of the position (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED/Documentation of Internship) OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond above information.. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Oral Communication Patient Care 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: Good hearing and visual acuity are required. The work involves standing long hours, walking, bending and reaching on a routine basis. The work requires the incumbent be mobile throughout the Medical Center as needed, involving standing, walking, bending, pushing, and lifting (moderate to heavy). The incumbent must be capable of prolonged standing/walking and be physically capable of pushing equipment, and escorting patients that may be in wheelchairs and/or gurneys. Work Environment Work will be performed in a complex acute care environment subjecting the incumbent to risks associated with a hospital setting. Work is performed in an environment involving exposure to infection, hazardous materials, contagious diseases, and requires normal safety precautions. Work areas are noisy with regular and recurring turbulence and unpredictable conditions generated by patients. The employee is potentially subject to physical and verbal abuse from patients and is required to follow assaultive policy and procedures. It will be necessary for the incumbent to wear uniform-like attire, observe standard precautions, and observe normal safety 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/. ["Duties but not limited to the following: Clinical Duties Requires to interview patients and complete basic health screening as well as perform radiology procedures such as MRI and CT. Collects patient data specific to health care needs including vital signs, pain level, weight, height, functional status and observation of overall condition. Assists with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and exams by preparing patients, ensuring privacy and applying aseptic principles. Recognizes the need for, and assists with emergency measures, including CPR. Takes appropriate action in response to patient emergency situations. Individual initiates e-team and codes when indicated. Organizes patient care activities and make adjustments as patient care priorities change. This includes assisting with transportation needs, communicating between various departments, and coordinating delivery of medications to patients. Must be trained and demonstrate competency in performing BLS. Recognizes, reports, and responds appropriately to unusual patient behavior, i.e., hostile, abusive, violent and or changes in patient's conditions. Recognizes any communication by patient with depressed, suicidal, or homicidal behaviors; remains with patient and reports immediately to Charge Nurse or Physician. Provides and reinforces patient education, as appropriate. Incumbent performs specified diagnostic tests and treatments. Collects, labels, and transports patient specimens, including Glucometer testing, stool guaiac, and urine specimens. Performs 12 lead ECG's and admits patients to telemetry monitoring if indicated. Additional Duties Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm with flexibility to meet patient needs Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD00817A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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