North Central Section of the AUA, Inc.

Incumbent leads a unit or team of employees performing work at the GS-6 level or below. Serves as a consultant liaison to Clinics throughout the facility, covering both the University Drive and Heinz Campuses. Some travel between campuses may be required. Coordinates with Clinic staff when new reusable medical devices (RMD) are purchased, or instances when RMD needs maintenance or replacement. Basic Requirements: BASIC REQUIREMENTS a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3g.) b. Experience and/or Education (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or (2) 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 (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. c. Certification. None. d. English language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English language. e. Physical requirement. pre-employment physical is required. (10) GS-07 Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - Coordinator Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Practical knowledge of conventional fact-finding or investigative techniques in order to evaluate internal work processes. 2. Skill to develop, analyze and evaluate facts relative to unsatisfactory conditions or trends. 3. Knowledge of and skill in applying various methods and techniques for investigating, analyzing and recommending corrective action on complex quality problems. 4. Knowledge of the SPS policies and procedural manuals, infection control procedures, and accrediting agencies and quality assurance guidelines to assure appropriateness of work during quality assurance reviews. 5. Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and other software programs. 6. Thorough knowledge of aseptic principles and techniques, which include sterilized operations, sterilizer mediums, and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization, packaging, storage, and shelf life. 7. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to ensure staff compliance with written directives, rules and regulations. Assignment. The MST Coordinator monitors quality assurance in the cleaning/decontamination, sterilization, reprocessing, and distribution of surgical instruments and technical medical equipment processed in SPS, ensuring proper procedures are followed and the items are safe for use. Ensures national sterile processing standards are followed in the process of cleaning/decontamination, sterilization, reprocessing, and distribution of critical and/or semi-critical reusable medical equipment. Coordinates training that is well structured and includes appropriate materials. Ensures staff is competent for reprocessing critical and semi-critical RMC by reviewing actual demonstration of tasks. Coordinates with hospital staff (e.g. operating room, emergency department and clinics) on critical and semi-critical medical equipment to ensure compliance with all national and local directives. Updates the Chief (or designee) on patient safety alerts and issues concerning reusable medical equipment. Establishes and maintains frequent contacts with interdisciplinary staff and outside vendors and manufacturers. Experience at the lower level GS-06 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. 3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures. 4. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation. 5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures. 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). Grandfathering Provision. All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard 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: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. (2) MSTs 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. (3) MSTs 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 reentry to the occupation References: Applicable VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G47 dated May 28, 2014. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-7. Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) 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 falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment. ["Major Duties Acts as the liaison and primary point of contact for Clinic inventory discrepancies. Coordinates with Clinic and SPS staff to ensure accountability and tracking of soiled items. Reports and tracks Clinic quality feedback discrepancies for soiled items delivered for reprocessing. Monitors and audits the timely reprocessing turnaround of Clinic RMD, helping to ensure Clinic Inventory Sheets are utilized throughout the process. Serves as a consultant representing the scope of expertise for Clinic RMD reprocessing which will include but is not limited to the following: Dental, Urology, Women's Health, Podiatry, Dermatology, and ENT. Monitors and audits SPS staff workflow to ensure practices of reprocessing Clinic RMD reflects current standards and regulatory requirements. Ensures work assignments of employees in the unit or team are carried out. Works with the Chief and Assistant Chief, SPS, in the assignment of functions to team members in order to meet routine and unusual deadlines and priorities. Distributes and balances workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow, job specialization and/or capabilities of individual. Is a working Lead Technician, responsible for filling in and for distributing the workload in case of personnel shortages or short notice priorities, to ensure a smooth workflow. Ensures timely accomplishment of assigned tasks and ensures that each employee has enough work to keep busy. When necessary, revises work schedule to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload. Assists with the orientation/annual training of SPS staff on decontamination policies, procedures, and competencies. Serves as a consultant representing the scope of expertise for decontamination and high-level disinfection for SPS and attends facility, quality improvement, infection prevention and regulatory meetings as needed. Assists Sterile Processing Leadership with the implementation of departmental policies and procedures as well as implementing performance improvement activities. Assists with the maintenance and support of the instrument tracking system, Censitrac. Assigns work to employees or assigns employees to position. Breaks out tasks as necessary to provide new employees with the experience and training required to perform the task. Assigns work, including overtime, disagreeable or choice tasks, etc., equitably among employees. Inspects to verify that all instrumentation is disassembled to the simplest form. Inspects all instrumentation for cleanliness and to assure that it is in good working order, checking lock boxes, alignment, sharpness and general operation. Independently prepares the full range of trays and sets necessary to be used in wards, clinic areas, Dental clinic and OR. Effectively processes and sterilizes a wide variety of instrumentation, to include implant devices, in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations, and ensures that they are held for the required time post sterilization per regulations. Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts, Weekends and Holidays\nTelework: Not available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position."]