Medical Supply Technician ( Sterile Processing)

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

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs operates at the Manchester VA Healthcare System in New Hampshire, seeking a Medical Equipment Technician to perform full decontamination through high-level disinfection of reusable medical devices. Responsibilities include cleaning, sterilization, inspection, documentation, and case-cart preparation in a clinical setting.

Qualifications emphasize citizenship, English proficiency, and education/experience per VA standards; opportunities for grandfathering and

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship required; non-citizens only per VA policy.
• English language proficiency required for medical supply work.
• Education or experience as described; grandfathering provision may apply.

Responsibilities

• Perform decontamination, prep/assembly, sterilization, storage and high level disinfection of reusable medical devices.
• Inspect RMD/medical equipment and perform routine and periodic testing; maintain documentation.
• Ensure MIFU compliance and survey readiness; follow safety and infection control procedures.
• Operate sterilizers and high level disinfection equipment; assist with case carts and supply management.

Skills

English proficiency

Communication skills

Safety awareness

Education

1 year above high school with health care courses

4 years above high school to Bachelor's

Job description

The incumbent performs all aspects of Critical and Semi-Critical Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) reprocessing including decontamination, Prep/Assembly, Sterilization, Storage and High Level Disinfection. Other duties include inspection of RMD, routine and periodic testing of equipment, documentation, MIFU compliance, and survey readiness. This position is located at the VA Healthcare System, located in Manchester New Hampshire.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Medical Supply Technicians 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.

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

In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates:

GS-03 Experience or Education (Entry Level)

None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-04 Experience or Education (Developmental Level)

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 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.

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:

• Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
• Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order 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 or Education (Developmental Level)

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS 04); Duties may include, but are not limited to: 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.
• 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.

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:

• 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 regards to instrumentation.
• Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

GS-06 Experience (Full Performance Level)

One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS05). Duties may include, but are not limited to: 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.

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:

• 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 regards to instrumentation.
• Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

Preferred Experience:

CRCST, CER OR CIS Certification. Previous experience performing sterile processing duties in a hospital or healthcare setting, including decontamination, inspection, packaging, assembly, sterilization, storage and distribution of reusable medical devices. Experience interpreting manufacturers' instructions for use, operating sterilization and high-level disinfection equipment, performing biological and chemical monitoring, documenting reprocessing activities, and utilizing instrument tracking systems is preferred.

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-06.

Physical Requirements:

Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes incumbent to biohazards, hazardous chemicals, and hazardous medications common in a health care environment. Such exposure will be mitigated, in accordance with local policies and operating procedures, as per USP800 standards, OSHA guidance, and local risk assessment practices. Standard safety precautions and PPE are required and specified per local policies. 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 25 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, and personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee 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 reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.

In the performance of official duties, the employee must be able to utilize office automation equipment, personal computers, bar code scanners, fax and copier machines and CENSITRAC software programs, and possesses the ability to apply skills to ever changing office/inventory technologies. The employee must be proficient in utilizing the CENSITRAC and other VA automated systems.