Medical Supply Technician- Sterile Processing

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Medical Supply Technician – Sterile Processing to support sterilization, preparation, supply items, and decontamination of reusable medical equipment in a VA medical center.

Basic requirements include US citizenship and English proficiency, with options for experience or education combinations to qualify for various developmental grades (GS-03 to GS-06). Supervisory support and stepwise development are emphasized.

Qualifications

• English language proficiency required.
• Six months of related experience or equivalent.
• One year of education with 6 semester hours in healthcare courses or equivalent.
• Four academic years above high school with 12 semester hours in related courses (for higher grade) or bachelor’s degree.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience acceptable.

Responsibilities

• Decontaminate, sterilize and inspect reusable medical equipment (RME).
• Assemble basic instrument sets and trays for operating rooms.
• Load and operate sterilizers (steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO).
• Prepare operating room case carts and coordinate with surgical schedules.
• Receive guidance from senior staff and perform tasks under supervision.

Skills

English proficiency

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

High school + healthcare coursework

Associate degree or higher option

Bachelor's degree option

Tools

Sterilizers (steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO)

High level disinfecting scope reprocessor

Operating room instrument sets

Job description

Medical Supply Technician – Sterile Processing

The Medical Supply Technician- Sterile Processing will 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 in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• 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.

Grandfather Provision. A Medical Supply Technician (MST) employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (May 28, 2014) 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.

Grade Determinations

GS-03 (Entry Level)

Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements

GS-04 (Developmental Level)

Experience. Six months of 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 technician, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialist, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed forces, the U.S. 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

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

Assignment.

This is a developmental level MST position. Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME). 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. Prepares operating room case carts. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision.

GS-05 (Developmental Level)

Experience. Must have 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

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

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

Assignment.

This is a developmental level MST position. Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments 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. Prepares, loads, and operates sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor; prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex tasks and require direct supervision on new assignments.

GS-06 (Full Performance Level)

Experience. Must have one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. 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

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, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors. Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment.

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements:

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.