Medical Supply Technologist (Sterile Processing)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Johnson City (TN); On-site; USD 40,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs at James H Quillen VA Medical Center in Johnson City, TN seeks a Medical Supply Technician to handle decontamination, high-level disinfection, and sterilization of critical and semi-critical instruments. You will contribute to the Sterile Processing Service and manage reusable medical devices and single-use items.

Applicants may be referred while meeting educational or certification requirements; final hires require full qualification attainment per VA standards

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Decontaminate, high-level disinfect, and sterilize reusable medical instruments and equipment.
• Assemble basic sets and trays and prepare operating room case carts.
• Inspect packages for proper sterilization and maintain sterile processing workflow.
• Operate sterilizers and manage storage of reprocessed items and devices.

Skills

Sterile processing

Surgical instruments knowledge

Oral and written communication

Education

Two years of education above high school with at least 12 semester hours in health care related courses

Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in related courses

Job description

The Medical Supply Technician (MST) is assigned to Sterile Processing Service (SPS) and provides support for all matters of concern relating to procedures for the decontamination, high-level disinfection (HLD), and/or sterilization of critical and semi-critical reusable medical instruments and equipment and storage of items reprocessed at James H Quillen Medical Center (JHQMC) facility with management of Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) and single use (disposable) medical devices.

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 - English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
• Experience and/or Education -
  • Experience - Six months of experience that demonstrates the 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).

• 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. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
  • Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
  • Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
  • Employees who are converted to Title 38 Hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations

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

GS-04 Medical Supply Technician -

• 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. AND
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 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 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 Medical Supply Technician

• 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. AND
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:
  • 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 Medical Supply Technician (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 re-processor; prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule. AND
• 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.

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

In addition to management responsibilities performed in an administrative office, work can sometimes be performed in various settings: intake, decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation), out take 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 exposure to toxic and caustic chemicals, slips, trips, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work required standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and and lifting packages occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds.