Medical Instrument Technician (Hemodialysis)

Description:

The Medical Instrument Technician (Hemodialysis) in Patient Care Services in the Dialysis and Nephrology unit at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System is a field expert with knowledge of more complex examination & treatment such as those provided for critically ill patients requiring acute hemodialysis procedures. The hemodialysis Tech is responsible for the operation of hemodialysis equipment in the treatment of patients with renal failure and monitoring patients during treatments.

Requirements:

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

• Citizenship. Citizenship of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy.)
• English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy.
• Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation.
• Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated under the grade requirements section.

Grandfathering Provision: 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 meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Medical Instrument Technician (Hemodialysis) - GS-9

• Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-8), which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled, and must fully meet the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) at that level, which are:
  • Knowledge of the hemodialysis process and equipment needed for home/self care including knowledge of common machine problems and repairs to such equipment.
  • Knowledge of the equipment and procedures for peritoneal dialysis.
  • Ability to assist the physician with percutaneous renal biopsies and peritoneal catheter insertion.
  • Ability to provide instruction to dialysis patients in home/self care and in the maintenance of the equipment.
  • Ability to provide instruction for physicians, nurses, and other personnel in dialysis procedures, equipment operation and maintenance, etc.

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. These are the KSA's for this subject position:

1. Knowledge of the more complex examination and treatment procedures and techniques such as those provided for acutely ill patients and peritoneal dialysis in order to provide training and supervision in these procedures.
2. Knowledge of JCAHO and other regulatory requirements.
3. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels.
4. Ability to manage and supervise employees.
5. Ability to provide, or provide for, staff development and training.

Preferred Experience:

• 2-3 years of Dialysis experience
• Certification by one of the following organizations is highly desirable at this level:
  • Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) or,
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)

Selective Placement Factor (SPF): This position includes a 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. Evidence of the Selective Placement Factor must be reflected in your resume. The SPF for this position is:

• Certification by the Nephrology Certification Commission (NNCC), OR
• Board of Nephrology Examiners, Inc. Certification by the Nursing and Technology (BONENT)

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

Physical Requirements. The physical demands of the work requires, occasional moderate lifting, (15-44 pounds), occasional moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), straight pulling (1 hour), Pushing (1 hour), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, frequent patient positioning on exam table, moderate walking (4 hours), standing (4 hours), repeated bending (2 hours), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing aid (permitted), emotional stability, Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.