Nuclear Medicine Technologist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Hartford (VT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nuclear Medicine Technologist position is located in the Nuclear Medicine Service within the White River Junction VA Healthcare System, White River Junction, VT. Applicants may be referred and tentatively selected before all requirements are met.

GS-11 level with responsibilities including complex imaging, quality management, and instructional duties within the program. Advanced therapies may include yttrium-90 and radium; VA qualification standards apply.

Qualifications

• Certification in nuclear medicine technology by NMTCB or ARRT (N) or eligibility
• Program completion from NMTCB-recognized or JRCNMT-accredited programs with clinical training

Responsibilities

• Produce and assess high quality scans using independent judgement
• Assess and document pre-therapy patient information and post-therapy education
• Develop new protocols for imaging procedures and quality management duties

Skills

Scan quality assessment

Radiologic knowledge

Safety/compliance

Clinical documentation

Independent judgement

Education

NMTCB or ARRT(N) certification

Tools

Radiopharmacy

Job description

The Nuclear Medicine Technologist position is located in the Nuclear Medicine Service in the White River Junction VA Healthcare System, located in White River Junction, VT. 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. Nuclear medicine technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English
• Certification. All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N). NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following:

• (1) Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR
• (2) Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB.

NOTE: Technologists functioning as multi-modality technologists require additional specific certifications

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met:

GS-11 Experience

At this level must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results.
• Knowledge and skill in use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome.
• Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings.
• Ability to obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose.
• Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures.
• Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce.
• Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions.

Assignments.

The higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. NMTs at this level are fully functional as an advanced NMT and carry out their assigned tasks independently.

NMTs at this level serve in advanced assignments and will have varying assignments, including special and complex imaging procedures, advanced therapies, clinical instruction, and quality management duties within the program. Advanced therapies may include, but are not limited to, yttrium-90, radium, and palliative bone pain therapy. Regardless of the nature of the specific assignment, the work must be of sufficient scope and complexity to meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform at this level.

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-11.

Physical Requirements

Work is performed in a health care setting. Work may involve exposure to infection and possible contagious diseases. Standard precautions and isolation techniques will be employed as indicated. The physical demands of the work may be physically intense at times as position involves walking, kneeling, bending, standing, and reaching above shoulder for a period of time. In addition, the work will require moderate lifting and/or carrying of machinery and other items as needed.