Medical Technician - Phlebotomy

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Department of Veterans Affairs in Sioux Falls, SD, seeks a Medical Technician in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service. Responsibilities include accessioning specimens in the computer system, collecting and evaluating patient specimens, and assisting patients throughout the process.

The role requires select placement factors and English proficiency. Applicants must meet specific education and experience criteria to qualify for the GS-4 level, with pertinent laboratory experience

Qualifications

• Proficient in basic English (written and spoken) per 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Selective Placement Factor: experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients.
• GS-4 level requires 6 months general experience and 6 months specialized experience in medical laboratory or related field.
• Education options include associate degree with approved lab training or equivalent combinations (see text).

Responsibilities

• Accession specimens into the computer system.
• Collect and evaluate patient specimens.
• Answer questions related to specimens and provide information to patients.
• Instruct and assist patients regarding specimen collection procedures.
• Prepare specimens for shipment to reference laboratories.

Skills

Computer Skills

Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)

Patient Care

Quality Assurance

Specimen Collection

Education

Associate degree in medical laboratory assistant or related field

1 year study in chemistry or biological sciences + one-year medical/clinical lab training

Job description

This position performs as a Medical Technician in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Sioux Falls Veterans Administration Health Care System, performing a variety of functions including accessioning specimens into computer system; collecting and evaluating patient specimens; answers questions relative to specimens; instructing and assisting patients; and preparing specimens to be sent to reference labs.

English Language Proficiency Requirement: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to perform the duties of this position.

~AND~

This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability, or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.

~AND~

The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: "Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients."

In addition to the English Language Proficiency and Selective Place Factor, to qualify for this position at the GS-4 level, you must meet one of the following requirements:

Experience: You must have at least 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experienced that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. General Experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience is: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week

Education and Training: Successful completion (a) an associate-degree course of study of which the 2nd year of the 2-year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; (b) 1 year of study that included 6 semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences, plus successful completion of (a) a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) school that included instruction in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, and microbiology (including serology) and that, in addition, included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; or (c) 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application).

OR

Combination: Equivalent combinations of post-high school education and experience, as described above. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application).

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Patient Care
• Quality Assurance
• Specimen Collection

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Physical Requirements: The work requires manual dexterity and exceptional hand/eye coordination, some physical exertion, such as regular and recurring walking, bending, and to stand for several consecutive hours during the collection of specimens. Work is performed at a fast pace. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. Position requires lifting of reagent containers weighing up to 20 pounds.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.