Medical Instrument Technician- Electrocardiograph (EKG)

Veterans Health Administration • Tulsa, OK

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Nursing Ambulatory Care service is recruiting a Medical Instrument Technician (Electrocardiograph/Telemetry) to work in the acute care setting (ICU) at James Mountain Inhofe Hospital. The technician independently monitors electrocardiographic equipment for continuous telemetry rhythm evaluation and interpretation, observes patients on monitors, analyzes ECG strips, documents findings, and promptly reports unusual findings to the RN. Telemetry services and cardiac-monitoring experience are highly desirable.

The technician performs 12-lead EKGs and supports patient care under RN direction, including obtaining assigned vital signs, applying and removing remote telemetry, helping maintain a safe care environment, and providing sitter companionship as needed. The role also involves entering patient data into the telemetry system, ensuring patients are assigned to the appropriate bed and monitoring equipment, maintaining and stocking equipment and supplies, tracking repair histories, and assisting with communications in the acute care setting. The technician works with the acute care team, follows work assignments, and reports patient-care issues and abnormal rates or rhythms to the manager or designee each shift.

The position requires awareness of medical-center safety policies, infection-control practices, and participation in quality-assurance activities as directed. The technician works rotating tours of duty with 12-hour shifts; flexibility is required to meet changing patient priorities. The stated schedule is day shift, 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with compressed/flexible scheduling available.

This is a permanent federal position. The full-performance level is GS-7, and selection may be at GS-04 through GS-07. There are no specific educational requirements for the occupation, although education may substitute for experience at GS-4 and GS-5. Licensure or certification is not required, though it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above. Candidates must meet the applicable grade-level experience or education and knowledge, skills, and abilities criteria.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Must satisfy the applicable GS-04 through GS-07 grade-level experience or education requirements and associated knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• GS-04: At least one year of comparable experience, including the specified medically related and diagnostic/therapeutic equipment experience, or qualifying postsecondary education; demonstrate basic medical terminology, ability to learn equipment and procedures, recognize distress, and communicate orally and in writing.
• GS-05: At least one year of comparable equipment-related experience or qualifying education; demonstrate knowledge of medical terminology and common physical disabilities, ability to position patients, recognize and report obvious abnormalities, operate equipment for routine procedures, and perform standard operator maintenance.
• GS-06: At least one year of comparable experience; demonstrate ability to recognize special patient needs, knowledge of Holter monitoring equipment and procedures, knowledge of universal precautions and sterilization techniques, ability to monitor for adverse reactions, and ability to perform standard and routine specialized procedures including exercise stress testing.
• GS-07: At least one year of comparable experience involving equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities; demonstrate ability to recognize, report, and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias, use equipment settings and corrective measures, adapt procedures for patients with complicating conditions, mentor lower-graded technicians, and conduct equipment-related in-service training.
• Must meet pre-employment requirements, including applicable drug screening, background/security investigation, onboarding, and physical evaluation; seasonal influenza vaccination is required for VA health care personnel.
• Must comply with Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Must meet the position's physical requirements, including corrected near and far vision, full-spectrum color vision, bilateral dexterity, and ability to reach, bend, twist, stoop, squat, lift, push, pull, and ambulate without restriction.
• Must be able to read, write, and organize written material.

Nice To Haves

• One to two years of experience as a monitor technician.
• Experience watching cardiac monitors.
• Telemetry services and telemetry cardiac-monitoring experience.
• Licensure or certification is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above.

Responsibilities

• Operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment for continuous telemetry rhythm evaluation and interpretation.
• Observe patients on cardiac monitors, analyze ECG strips, document findings, and promptly report unusual findings to the RN.
• Recognize lethal rhythms and arrhythmias, including acute myocardial infarction, STEMI, and NSTEMI, and immediately notify appropriate staff or emergency response teams.
• Provide centralized monitoring and print and interpret telemetry rhythm strips, informing nursing staff of rhythm changes.
• Document rhythm interpretations every eight hours and whenever a rhythm changes.
• Perform 12-lead EKGs and, under RN direction, obtain assigned vital signs and apply or remove remote telemetry.
• Enter patient data into the telemetry monitoring system and ensure patients are placed in the appropriate bed with the correct monitoring equipment.
• Maintain, clean, store, and perform standard operator maintenance on equipment; track and maintain equipment repair histories.
• Stock and inventory telemetry supplies and maintain equipment at the monitoring station.
• Assist with communications in the acute care setting by answering calls and directing them appropriately.
• Report patient-care issues and abnormal rates or cardiac rhythms to the manager or designee each shift.
• Follow RN direction and work assignments, support a safe environment of care, and provide sitter companionship as needed.
• Use safety and infection-control procedures and participate in quality-assurance activities as directed.
• Assume responsibility for unassigned work, use duty time constructively, and perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term-care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Potential credit toward annual-leave accrual for qualifying prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed