Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography)

Veterans Health Administration • Tampa, FL

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography) performs sleep diagnostic procedures and related therapies under the supervision of the Section Chief/Supervisor(s) of Respiratory Care and Diagnostic Services and in coordination with the Sleep Laboratory Program Leader. The role follows professional sleep-medicine guidelines and Tampa VA Hospital policies and procedures. At the GS-8 full-performance level, the technician works with patients and physicians to diagnose sleep disorders, including uncommon or rare disorders; conducts complete sleep studies, including overnight studies; and evaluates the relationships among events, sleep stages, and medical conditions. The technician anticipates potential problems during studies, prepares for them, adapts procedures or recommends alternatives, and mentors lower-graded technicians.

The position includes patient assessment and education, setup and operation of sleep-study equipment, monitoring physiological data, scoring studies, and evaluating and treating sleep-related breathing disorders. It also includes managing portable home sleep monitors and providing on-site TeleHealth services for CPAP and home sleep services. The position is not virtual. Work is primarily in inpatient and outpatient patient-care areas and involves extensive interaction with patients, staff, physicians, family members, and visitors.

After the orientation period, a compressed schedule may be available depending on service needs, including tours such as 20:00–06:30 or 05:30–16:00, or another approved compressed schedule. Work may include weekdays and weekends, and tours may change to meet service needs. The full-performance grade is GS-8; selection may be at GS-6 through GS-8.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a qualified non-citizen is permitted under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level, involving knowledge of complex procedures and uncommon or rare sleep disorders.
• Advanced knowledge of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and ability to recognize uncommon or rare sleep disorders.
• Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form.
• Knowledge of event characteristics, including respiratory, cardiac, sleep-stage, and seizure events, and ability to take appropriate action.
• Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff, including physicians.
• Ability to work reliably, independently, and with self-motivation.
• Ability to move, lift, bend, and stoop while working with equipment, supplies, and patients, and to handle varying stress levels positively.
• Ability to meet physical requirements, including heavy lifting and carrying of 45 pounds or more; pushing; reaching above shoulder level; using fingers and both hands; walking, standing, kneeling, repeated bending, and climbing using both legs; rapid simultaneous mental and muscular coordination; specified near vision and color discrimination; and hearing without an aid.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination and applicable background/security investigation; selected applicants may be required to serve a probationary period and complete online onboarding.
• All applicants tentatively selected for a VA testing-designated position are subject to urinalysis for illegal drug use before appointment; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA health care personnel.
• VA health care personnel must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to legally required accommodations.

Nice To Haves

• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.
• Proficiency in sleep diagnostic procedures and polysomnographic studies, including routine polysomnograms and PAP titration studies using CPAP, Bi-level, ASV, and HNS technologies.
• Experience educating patients and family members and following technical, hospital, federal, and state regulations, as well as recommendations of the AASM, JCAHO, BRPT, and AAST.
• Advanced understanding of high and low filters, sensitivity, gain, AC/DC filters and inputs, bio-calibrations, machine calibrations, instrumentation, and electrical safety.

Responsibilities

• Instruct and educate patients about sleep studies and related care.
• Assess patients in relation to sleep disorders.
• Set up patients and equipment, calibrate equipment, and verify acquisition performance.
• Monitor multiple physiological data streams throughout sleep testing.
• Troubleshoot polysomnographic recording equipment.
• Perform pre-test and post-test calibrations.
• Identify and treat sleep-related breathing disorders.
• Recognize when medical intervention is needed to protect patient safety.
• Remove and sterilize electrodes and sensors after studies.
• Stage and score sleep studies.
• Document study data in CPRS, including data for scoring.
• Independently evaluate patients with sleep-related breathing disorders, titrate pressures, download data, review compliance, and fit patients with appropriate interface devices to meet physicians' therapeutic goals.
• Assess patients for portable home sleep monitoring, provide education, set up equipment, and download patient data.
• Provide on-site TeleHealth services for CPAP and home sleep services.
• Conduct complete sleep studies, including overnight studies, and evaluate the relationships among events, sleep stages, and possible medical conditions.
• Anticipate problems during sleep studies, prepare for them, modify established procedures when appropriate, or recommend alternative actions.
• Mentor lower-graded technicians.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package for employees and their families.
• Potential credit for prior federal work or military service toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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