Medical Supply Tech (Sterile Processing)

Veterans Health Administration • Aurora, CO

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This GS-6 position is in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Sterile Processing Services. The technician independently performs the full range of sterile processing duties, resolving routine workflow and technical issues by following SPS procedures, manufacturer instructions for use, prior training, and accepted practices. The work includes cleaning, decontaminating, inspecting, preparing, packaging, sterilizing, and/or disinfecting medical and surgical instruments and other reusable medical devices (RMD), as well as quality assurance and inventory functions.

The work is performed across decontamination, preparation, clean/sterile supply, and other areas throughout the medical facility. The employee alternates between contaminated and controlled clean environments and wears required protective clothing and equipment. Conditions may include hot, cold, drafty, poorly lighted, noisy areas; exposure to body fluids, unpleasant odors, cleaning chemicals, disinfectant fumes, and potential sterilizing-gas hazards; and risk of burns, falls, cuts, and other material-handling injuries.

The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Recruitment or relocation incentives and relocation assistance are not authorized.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA exception for appointing non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Six months of qualifying experience; or one year of education above high school that included at least six semester hours in health-care-related courses; or an equivalent combination of qualifying experience and education.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-6, one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
• Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross-contamination.
• Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions, and procedures.
• Knowledge of sterility principles related to instrumentation.
• Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.
• Ability to meet the physical demands of the work, including frequent talking and bending; lifting packages occasionally weighing up to 50 pounds; standing more than eight hours per shift; and pushing, pulling, and lifting throughout the shift.
• Dexterity and visual and auditory acuity to manipulate, disassemble, and assemble instrumentation.
• Must meet the position's national sterile processing certification requirement within the required period and maintain certification.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of sterile processing experience.
• Experience processing reusable medical devices at a Level 1 Trauma Center.
• Experience processing flexible endoscopes for GI.

Responsibilities

• Collect and receive used, soiled reusable critical and semi-critical medical devices using appropriate personal protective equipment and infection-control procedures to prevent cross-contamination during collection and transport.
• Manually and automatically clean, disinfect, and decontaminate instruments and medical equipment using approved SPS equipment, including ultrasonic cleaners, washer/disinfectors, cart washers, automated endoscope reprocessors, and electrical conductivity testing devices.
• Inspect reusable devices and instruments for cleanliness, damage, deterioration, rust, pitting, cracks, dullness, imperfections, and functional problems that could affect patient care.
• Conduct and document quality assurance testing for equipment and reprocessing operations, including mechanical, chemical, and biological monitoring, daily operational checks, and required sterilization or high-level disinfection records.
• Examine items after cleaning, determine whether additional decontamination is needed, and assemble basic, intermediate, and complex trays and sets for operating rooms and specialized clinical areas.
• Select appropriate sterilization methods and load, operate, and unload steam and approved low-temperature sterilizers and high-level disinfecting scope reprocessors according to procedures and documentation standards.
• Store sterile items according to inventory and storage guidelines, rotate stock appropriately, and distribute items according to requirements, special requests, schedules, or requisitions to ensure timely delivery.
• Precept and assist in training and orienting less experienced SPS staff in routine decontamination, preparation, packaging, sterilization, distribution, and equipment-use procedures.
• Obtain and maintain national sterile processing certification within the required period and complete continuing education or renewal requirements to keep it current.

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.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a child-care subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income, child eligibility, and maximum subsidy limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term-care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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