Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) at the Long Beach VA Medical Center.

This role handles incoming contaminated instruments in decontamination and prepares them for sterile use, with eligibility considerations for education and grandfathering provisions noted. The position belongs to the Sterile Processing Department, GS-06, requiring knowledge of instrument handling, sterility, and safety.

Qualifications

• Six months experience or one year of higher education with health care related courses.
• One year above high school with at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses.
• Experience/education combination acceptable for entry level.

Responsibilities

• Prioritize processing of instruments and equipment for surgical procedures.
• Anticipate instrument needs for the following day and ensure SPS completion.
• May assist operating room staff and support the OR suite.
• Acts as HLD Specialist.
• Perform daily quality testing on equipment in SPS.
• Assist supervisor with day-to-day activities including phones and staff assignments.

Skills

Knowledge of surgical instruments

Universal precautions

Medical terminology & anatomy

Sterility principles

Reading & interpreting procedures

Education

Experience

Education (1 year above high school with health care courses)

Job description

This position is located within the Sterile Processing Department at the Long Beach VA Medical Center. Medical Supply Technicians (Sterile Processing) receive contaminated critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment in the decontamination area, and may receive noncritical equipment. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.

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-06: Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

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.

Preferred Experience:

Assists in prioritizing processing of instruments and equipment for surgical procedures to facilitate turnover of cases. Anticipates instrument needs for following day and assures sterile processing completion. May assist the operating room staff, supporting the O.R. suite while opening surgical instrument trays Acts as HLD Specialist. Performs/assists with daily quality testing on equipment in SPS. Assists supervisor in day-to-day activities to include answering phones and daily staff assignment sheet.

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.

Physical Requirements:

May be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. This work requires proper body mechanics when standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages/instrument trays weighing up to 50 lbs. The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instruments.