Lead Medical Supply Technician - Quality and Education Coordinator (Sterile Processing)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sterile Processing Services (SPS) Quality and Education Coordinator at the US Department of Veterans Affairs leads quality assurance initiatives, develops evidence-based education for staff, and coordinates improvement efforts in handling critical RMD.

This GS-08 level role requires strong communication, supervisory skills, and knowledge of sterility principles to train staff and ensure compliance with SOPs and SPS mandates.

Qualifications

• Six months of experience or education in sterile processing.
• Ability to read and interpret procedures and train staff.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee a work team and allocate tasks to staff.
• Ensure SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during processing and training.
• Train staff on decontamination of scopes and instrumentation.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Sterility principles

Staff training

Education

Health care courses

Job description

The Sterile Processing Services (SPS) Quality and Education Coordinator demonstrates leadership, experience, and creative approaches to improvement in quality assurance outcomes and is responsible for developing and coordinating efforts for providing expert, evidence-based education to staff who use and handle critical and semi-critical RMD.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3g.)
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• Experience and/or Education (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or
  (2) Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or
  (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Certification. None.
• Grandfathering Provision. All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
  (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation.
  (2) MSTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.(3) MSTs who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations

GS-08 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing):

Experience.

One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

1. Ability to read and interpret written procedures and select appropriate action in order to instruct staff in correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.
2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to ensure staff compliance with written directives, rules and regulations.
3. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
4. Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures.
5. Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments.

Assignment.

The Lead MST at this level oversees a work team that includes at least one MST position that is above the full performance. Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. Assures an even distribution of the workload. When necessary, revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload. Assigns tasks as necessary to provide new employees with the experience and training required to perform decontamination of scopes and instrumentation in the work area. Monitors and reports on the status of work. Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow. Reviews or spot checks scope processing work to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions (e.g., work sequences, procedures, methods, and deadlines). Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of scope medical equipment, material and instrumentation. Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion. Instructs employees on work-related activities, policies, procedures and goals.

Preferred Experience:

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in Sterile Processing Services (SPS);
• Current SPS-related certification (i.e., CRCST, or VA Level 2 certification);
• Proficient in working with Microsoft 365 applications (Excel, Power Point, Word);
• Ability to read, interpret, and understand complex technical materials and translate them into clear, accurate, and userf riendly Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), resource materials, and/or training modules.

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08.

Physical Requirements:

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.