Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing Service)

Duties

The Medical Supply Technicians will rotate assignments among the various sterilization, processing, decontamination, surgical tray assembly, reusable medical equipment processing and quality assurance functions. Duties include:

• Collection, receipt, inspection and decontamination processing of soiled supplies, instruments, equipment, and apparatus to include complex diagnostic equipment and medical apparatus by following manufacturer instructions, Standard Operating Procedures, and National/VA guidance. Completely and thoroughly disassembling all parts of technical reusable medical equipment (RME) to ensure the removal of bio-burdens prior to sterilization. Endoscopes will be retrieved, cleaned, monitored for quality, high level disinfection performed, transported, stored, and documentation of endoscopic scope processes completed, following manufacturer instructions, Standard Operating Procedures, and National/VA guidance, Operating decontamination equipment such as but not all inclusive; washer decontaminators/disinfectors, table top and floor model ultrasonic washers, irrigators, laparoscopic insulation testers, dental lube machines, automatic cart wash and tube dryers, and high level disinfectors (GUS System). Validating all cleaning of instrumentation and RME using department Standard Operating Procedures and manufacturer guidelines.
• Performing inspection, assembly, packaging, and terminal sterilization of all trays, sets, and packs for use throughout the medical center. Determining the criticality category of RME using the Spaulding Classification System and interprets sterilization parameters provided by manufacturer guidelines to determine the proper method of sterilization. Operating sterilization equipment such as AER: Automatic Endoscopic Reprocessors, Medivators, Steam Sterilizers, Sterrad, Sterrad NX, and ETO sterilizers, heat sealers, tube dryers, and incubators. Troubleshooting complex sterilizers used in the medical center to ensure optimal operation. Performing high level disinfection using Cidex OPA, or equivalent according to manufacturer guidelines documenting and validating that chemicals are tested and meet requirements to ensure that disinfection has occurred.
• Assembling minor and complex tray sets and instrumentation packs used for a variety of general and specialized medical and surgical procedures.
• Assembling surgical case carts according to physician preference and computer generated picking lists for use in operating rooms.
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Subject to rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays.

2nd Shift: 3:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.; Midnight Shift: 11:30 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.

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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-in-Grade Restriction - 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. The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service.

GS-4: Must have at least 1 year time-in-grade in a position at the GS-3 grade level or higher.

GS-5: Must have at least 1 year time-in-grade in a position at the GS-4 grade level or higher.

GS-6: Must have at least 1 year time-in-grade in a position at the GS-5 grade level or higher.

Generalized Experience: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.

Specialized Experience: Experience in processing, assembling, troubleshooting, preparing, sterilizing, storing, and issuing sterile and unsterile medical supplies and equipment. The applicant must possess knowledge of the technical names, general uses, physical characteristics, and operating conditions of medical supply items; knowledge of decontamination, cleaning, preparation, sterilization, and storage procedures; knowledge of aseptic techniques; and skill in operating a washer-sterilizer, ultrasonic instrument cleaners, and gas and steam sterilizers. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include work as an operating room technician, medical instrument technician, nursing assistant, corpsman, or laboratory worker.

GS-4: Must have 6 months of generalized experience and 6 months of specialized experience or 2 years above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses such as medical supply processing, storage, distribution; sterile supplies, operating room, and surgical technician courses; or other fields related to the position. Or equivalent combinations of education and experience. (to receive credit for college education you must submit transcripts)

GS-5: Must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level or 4-year course study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. Or equivalent combinations of education and experience. (to receive credit for college education you must submit transcripts)

GS-6: Must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level or graduate education or an internship only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. (to receive credit for college education you must submit transcripts).

Selective Placement Factor: This position requires that applicants possess knowledge of and experience in Sterile Processing reprocessing methodology in acute and critical care areas, especially surgical services and having the ability to process and prepare medical instrumentation, and semi-critical medical equipment in acute care settings in surgical, clinical instrumentation, and endoscopes.

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.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Education

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: 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.