Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - Trainer

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

VA Boston Healthcare System seeks a Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - Trainer to lead SPS training programs and education initiatives. The role emphasizes developing plans, coordinating formal and informal instruction, and advancing sterile processing practices in a hospital setting.

The position requires US citizenship, English proficiency, and a combination of experience/education in healthcare; it is a full-time, 40-hour workweek at the Jamaica Plain campus.

Qualifications

• Citizenship: United States
• English proficiency required per 38 U.S.C. 7402(d)
• Experience: Six months in related work or related understanding
• Education: One year above high school with health care related coursework or related education
• Foreign education evaluations acceptable for U.S. equivalence

Responsibilities

• Develops written plans for the SPS training program
• Facilitates SPS staff training and job-specific instruction
• Improves SPS processes by training staff on new reusable medical devices
• Develops, monitors, and revises SPS educational programs
• Documents and assesses staff training to identify strengths and needs
• Creates education plans including literature reviews, continuing education, in-services, and certifications
• Tracks, trends, and analyzes education data
• Identifies improvement opportunities and prepares reports
• Conducts annual review of the SPS preceptor program

Skills

Communication

Training delivery

Microsoft Word/Excel

Administrative skills

Education

Health care related coursework (6 sem hrs)

One year above high school

Job description

The Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - Trainer position is in the Sterile Processing Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System located at the Jamaica Plain, MA location. This position is full time at 40 hours per week.

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 as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• 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.

GS 7 Experience

One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS 6.

Assignment

The MST Trainer is responsible for developing formal and informal written plans for the SPS training program, in compliance with accreditation organizations and VHA-specific requirements as well as medical center policies and procedures for SPS and related staff.

Facilitates training of SPS staff through educational programs and job specific instruction.

Improves SPS processes by facilitating the application for new technology of reusable medical devices by training all new and existing staff.

Develops, monitors, and revises SPS educational programs for both new and existing staff.

Documents and assesses staff's training, to identify areas of strength and need.

Develops an education plan (literature review, continuing education, in-services, certification and/or formal education) to maintain and improve knowledge in specialized areas of processing reusable medical devices.

Participates in tracking, trending and analyzing education data.

Identifies opportunities for improvement, makes recommendations and/or prepares reports based on findings.

Develops and conducts the annual review of the SPS preceptor program.

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

1. Knowledge of SPS and Infection Prevention regulations.
2. Knowledge of procedures and/or operations in training developed for, and operations of SPS functions for both new and existing staff.
3. Ability to manage integrated training programs as it relates to sterile processing procedures.
4. Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel or other software programs in order to complete reports and develop skills.
5. Ability to communicate effectively with staff and management officials in regards to sterile processing procedures.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements

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 50 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, 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.