Medical Supply Technician ( Sterile Process)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Medical Supply Technician to support sterilization, preparation, and distribution of reusable medical equipment for the medical center. Duties include decontamination, assembly of instrument sets, and operating basic sterilization equipment under supervision.

GS-level qualifications range from GS-03 to GS-06 based on experience and education. Preference for candidates with healthcare-related coursework and previous sterile processing exposure.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology to assemble instrument sets.
• Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.

Skills

Universal precautions

Medical terminology

Sterilization knowledge

Written and oral communication

Education

One year above high school with health care courses

Two years above high school with related courses

Bachelor's degree related field

Job description

The primary purpose of the Medical Supply Technician is to provide sterilization, preparation, supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support for the medical center.

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 (6) months of experience demonstrating the ability to perform the work or provide an understanding of the work; OR,
  • Education: One (1) year above high school that included at least six (6) semester hours in health care related course such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; OR,
  • Combination: A combination of the above prescribed experience and education.

Creditable Experience

1. Knowledge of Current MST Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with MST responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MST. 3
2. Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MST experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
3. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MST is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MST employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations

GS-03 Experience/Education Requirement: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-04 Experience/Education Requirement:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-04 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements:

• Experience: Six months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting; OR
• Education: Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation. NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces, the US. Maritime Service, or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets.
• Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.

GS-05 Experience/Education Requirement:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-05 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements:

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Performing segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME); completing segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center; operating equipment involved in sterilization processes; preparing operating room case carts; OR
• Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
• Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility.
• Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.

GS-06 (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-06 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Removing soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing; Inspecting packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembling basic sets and trays used throughout a medical facility including those used in the operating room; preparing, loading, and operating sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor; prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following KSAs:

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

Preferred Experience:

3-5 years experience in hands on in Sterile processing within an accredated health care facility, in a large hospital setting.

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 06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS 03 to GS 6.

Physical Requirements:

Work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation), gastrointestinal intestinal endoscope reprocessing hub, and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. May be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. Requires proper body mechanics when standing for up to 8 hours per day and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages/instrument trays should height (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). 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. Uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers, subject to burns form accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gases are unknown. Often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or RME.