Medical Instrument Technician (Cardiac Catheterization) - DETAIL up to 120 Days

Description:

Medical Instrument Technicians (Cardiac Catheterization) perform, under a physician's direction, diagnostic tests, both invasive and noninvasive, of the pulmonary system (lung) and the cardiovascular system (heart and circulation). They operate, monitor, and collect data from instruments used in procedures such as cardiac catheterization, angiography, valvuloplasty, angioplasty, electrophysiology studies, cardiac pacing, or cardiac pacemaker or lead wire insertion.

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 :

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. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, per VA Handbook 5005, Qualification Standards.

Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels.

Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Desired certifications include:

• Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications
• Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS).

GRADE REQUIREMENTS:
In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Specialized Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level, GS-08, which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.

This experience includes:

• Experience which demonstrates possession of the knowledge required in order to provide all aspects of cardiac catheterization technician services. Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions. Cardiac catheterization technicians at this level function as full members of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Team. They scrub, circulate, operate equipment, etc., on the most complex examination and treatment procedures including procedures such as endocardial biopsy, radio frequency ablation procedures, and intra-aortic balloon pump therapy for very critical patients. They prepare and administer cardiac medications as directed by the attending physician. They mentor and train lower graded technicians, nurses, nursing students, and cardiopulmonary technology students on cardiac catheterization laboratory procedures and assist the supervisor/manager with quality control and performance improvement activities.

Additionally, the knowledge, skills, and abilities at the next lower grade level (GS-8) are:

• Ability to scrub, circulate, and monitor advanced procedures (including electrophysiological) to include rotoblation, intravascular ultrasound, RADI or wave-wire, angio-jet, filter wires, myocardial biopsies EPS, permanent pacemaker insertions, AICD insertions, and biventricular pacemaker insertion.
• Advanced knowledge of equipment, medications, and supplies used in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and the ability to set-up, calibrate, operate, and troubleshoot this equipment.
• Knowledge and understanding of wave forms from the great vessels and all chambers of the heart including the ability to recognize and distinguish normal from abnormal, artifact from abnormality, and forewarn the physician of an impending life-threatening situation.
• Knowledge of quality control and performance improvement indicators for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and ability to prepare and analyze quality control of test results.

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. If selected, you may be required to submit narrative responses then.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs at the GS-09 grade level and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*)::

1. Knowledge of the more complex examination and treatment procedures and techniques in order to provide training and supervision in these procedures, to evaluate and initiate performance improvement projects, and to write policies, procedures, and protocols, that pertain to the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.
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 Certification: Registration by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) is highly desirable. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable for employees at this level.

Preferred Experience:

• IABP/Impella experience
• Pacer/CD device scrub experience
• Clinical Certification
• Experience in Cath Lab
• EP experience
• Scrub experience
• ACLS

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-09.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work requires, occasional heavy lifting, (45 pounds and over), occasional heavy carrying (45 pounds and over), moderate straight pulling, frequent patient positioning on exam table, moderate walking, occasional climbing, 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, ability to hear whispered voice, the use of fingers, reaching above shoulder, prolonged standing (6-8 hrs.), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.