Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Veterans Health Administration; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration in Boston seeks a Lead Medical Supply Technician to support the Sterile Processing Service. The role supervises staff, prioritizes and distributes workload, and ensures proper sterilization methods and compliance with SOPs across decontamination, preparation, and sterile supply areas.

The incumbent will lead, train, and evaluate staff performance, coordinate with SPS management, and maintain accurate records of workflow and instrument processing in a busy hospital

Qualifications

• Six months of experience or one year of health care related coursework.
• U.S. citizenship and English proficiency required.
• Foreign education must be evaluated if completed outside the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Sterile Processing Service team and distribute workload.
• Monitor progress and ensure adherence to SOPs and SPS mandates.
• Review work quality and quantity; communicate performance issues to management.
• Instruct staff on correct procedures and decontamination protocols.

Skills

Instruct staff

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Sterility principles

Leadership & prioritization

Education

Health care related coursework

Job description

The Lead Medical Supply Technician position is in the Sterile Processing Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System located at the West Roxbury, MA location. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Experience and/or Education: Experience: Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; OR 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 Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U. S. programs.
• GS 7 Experience: Have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6). Examples of specialized experience include but not limited to: Receiving contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area; disassembling the RME and determining the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions; inspecting, assembling and determining the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors; performing and documenting daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment.

Assignment: The Lead MST works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team. Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload. Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload. Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs. Monitors and reports on the status of work. Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow. Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines. Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical 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.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's) below:

• 1. Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.
• 2. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure 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.

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

Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated glov