Medical Supply Technician (Sterile P)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Aurora (CO); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Medical Supply Technician to join the Eastern Colorado Health Care System. The role involves cleaning, decontaminating, and sterilizing medical instruments, ensuring quality assurance, and managing inventory. Ideal candidates will have healthcare-related education or experience and must be proficient in English.

Benefits

37-50 days of annual paid time off

Parental leave up to 12 weeks

Childcare subsidy for eligible employees

Federal health/vision/dental insurance

Traditional federal pension

Qualifications

• Six months of experience in sterile processing or related field.
• Proficient in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Cleans, decontaminates, and sterilizes medical instruments.
• Performs quality assurance checks on sterilization processes.
• Distributes items according to established requirements.

Skills

Knowledge of surgical instruments

Knowledge of universal precautions

Ability to read and interpret instructions

Education

One year above high school in healthcare courses

Job description

The position is within the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Eastern Colorado Health Care System in the Sterile Processing Services, which organizationally reports directly to the Associate Director, Patient Care Services. The primary purpose of the technician is to clean, decontaminate, inspect, and perform quality assurance, inventory, prepare instruments for sterilization, and sterilize and/or disinfect medical instruments, surgical instruments, and other reusable medical devices.
Duties

This is the full performance level for the MST position. Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RMD in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles the RMD and determines 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. Inspects, assembles, and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization, such as, but not limited to steam, V-Pro, and high-level disinfecting scope reprocessors.
Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all processes and equipment. Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids and other contaminants by wiping, soaking, rinsing and scrubbing. Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room, RMR clinical departments and Community Based Outpatient Clinics. Prepares, loads, and operates sterilizers such as steam, V-Pro, and a high-level disinfecting scope reprocess; may prepare operating room case carts daily utilizing surgery schedule. Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization, and inspection of RMD. Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center. Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes.
MSTs precept and give guidance to less experienced staff members and may provide frequent and direct supervision to perform Decontamination, Manual Cleaning, and Sterilization.

Quality Assurance:
Responsible for thorough inspection for cleanliness, damage, deterioration, or imperfections such as rust, pitting and cracks that could affect the quality of patient care.
Responsible for ensuring that the items function properly and must be knowledgeable of the purpose and proper usage of medical instrumentation. Performing manual quality testing on endoscopes and instrumentation.
Responsible for ensuring that quality assurance testing for the effectiveness of the equipment operation is completed and documented to include mechanical, chemical, and biological monitoring.
Conforms to and ensures that all safety and infection control rules, regulations, and requirements (e.g., dress code and traffic control procedures) in both the decontamination and preparation areas are followed by all personnel working in.
Completes Quality feedback and JPSR as indicated by circumstances.
Distribution:
Distributes items according to established requirements, special requests or as requisitioned.
Fills requests for items based on daily schedules of needs
Pulls consumable items and instrument sets according to OR preference cards in the OR
Consults with customers on items in short supply or out of stock, recommending possible substitutions. Sends requested items to wards and clinics via cart delivery systems.
Periodically inventories stock. Maintains records on stock levels and recommends revisions in stock levels as the need for supplies changes.
Inventory Management:
Stores items in accordance with inventory system and storage guidelines.
Assists with inventory of RME and sterile supplies.
Assembles and loads operating room carts according to schedules and fills special and emergency requests for items.
Inspects inventories and checks in sets, equipment, and trays from medical vendors

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
elected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Work Schedule: Wednesday-Wednesday 8 on 6 off 6:00am - 4:30pm
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorize
Telework: Not Authorize
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 56360-A

Requirements

Qualifications
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.
• Certification. None.
• Grandfathering Provision. All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date 5/28/2014 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:

Grade Determinations:
GS-06 (Full Performance Level)

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1.Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
2.Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
3.Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures.
4.Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation.
5.Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

• Assignment. This is the full performance level for the occupation. Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles the RME and determines 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. Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam.

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-6.

Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) & in other services & departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The MST may be required to work in areas that are hot, humid, cold, drafty, and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, & other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing & walking during the entire workday and frequent bending & lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity & visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly & assembly of RMD, as well as discerning physical monitors & process indicators of equipment. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment & a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, & personal protective equipment (PPE) that can be uncomfortably warm. The Medical Supply is subject to burns & chemical exposure. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of equipment.