Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

United States Department of Veterans Affairs•Fayetteville, AR

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) receives and completes reprocessing of contaminated critical and semi-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) in the decontamination area and performs quality assurance tasks for SPS. The primary purpose of this position is to perform a range of duties required to decontaminate - clean - prepare - store - and distribute medical supplies and equipment used in all areas of the hospital Duties of the Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) may include but are not limited to: Inventories - replenishes shortages from sterile supply - inspects for sterility integrity for instrument sets and expendable items Adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Rotates - restocks outdated supplies - and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards - clinics - and the operating room Initiates requests for items based on the daily schedule of needs or individual requisitions Prepares individual surgical case carts with required instruments and surgical supplies for each scheduled and emergency operative procedure Trains new and/or lower graded employees at the request of supervision Receives a full range of reusable medical supplies - instruments and equipment from hospital wards - clinics - and operating rooms Decontaminates reusable items by determining the appropriate method for removing gross contamination by means of manual cleaning procedures Disassembles - decontaminates - and reassembles items as required Operates automated reprocessing equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner and washer/disinfectors in accordance with the device Instructions for Use (IFU) Conducts High-Level Disinfection (HLD) procedures by means of manual and automated processes while following the device(s) IFU's Examines items and instruments for damage - deterioration - or imperfection Maintains accurate written records of quality and preventative maintenance of such equipment Follows all device specific Instructions for Use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when conducting assembly and sterilization procedures Assembles a wide variety of instrument trays and sets used for medical procedures including the operating room Checks for damaged or missing items and arranges for replacements - maintenance - or repair as needed Processes - assembles - and performs all phases of sterilization for intricate surgical trays and microsurgery instruments for the operating room (trays contain large numbers of unique - non-interchangeable - specialized surgical instruments of similar appearance - with minor variations in size - conformation - and nomenclature - but with major variation in application) Researches and applies the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) standards as they pertain to sterile processing and the distribution of medical supplies This announcement is being used to fill a variety of positions across 8 Veterans Affairs Medical facilities located in Alexandria - LA - Biloxi - MS - Fayetteville - AR - Houston - TX - Jackson - MS - Little Rock - AR New Orleans - LA - and Shreveport - LA Applicants may select the location(s) they wish to be considered in the application Exact duties and expectations will be discussed during the interview process

Requirements

Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
English Language Proficiency - English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
Experience - Six months of experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work OR 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 Experience/Education Combination - Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
GS-04 Medical Supply Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: To qualify for the GS-04 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements: Experience: Six months experience as a MST - operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting OR Education: Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists - or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces - the US Maritime Service - or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision - may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination Basic knowledge of medical terminology to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment Ability to communicate both orally and in writing
GS-05 Medical Supply Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: To qualify for the GS-05 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Performing segments of work pertaining to the decontamination - sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME) completing segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center operating equipment involved in sterilization processes preparing operating room case carts OR Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment
GS-06 Medical Supply Technician (Full Performance Level) - Experience Requirement: To qualify for the GS-06 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05) Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Removing soil - blood - tissue fragments - body fluids - and other containments by wiping - soaking - rinsing - and scrubbing Inspecting packages for indications of proper sterilization - assembling basic sets and trays used throughout a medical facility including those used in the operating room preparing - loading - and operating sterilizers such as steam - Sterrad - Steris - ETO - and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - you must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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 in regard to instrumentation Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures

Nice To Haves

Preferred experience will be determined by the service for the location in which you apply and will be discussed at the interview

Responsibilities

Inventories - replenishes shortages from sterile supply - inspects for sterility integrity for instrument sets and expendable items
Adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Rotates - restocks outdated supplies - and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards - clinics - and the operating room
Initiates requests for items based on the daily schedule of needs or individual requisitions
Prepares individual surgical case carts with required instruments and surgical supplies for each scheduled and emergency operative procedure
Trains new and/or lower graded employees at the request of supervision
Receives a full range of reusable medical supplies - instruments and equipment from hospital wards - clinics - and operating rooms
Decontaminates reusable items by determining the appropriate method for removing gross contamination by means of manual cleaning procedures
Disassembles - decontaminates - and reassembles items as required
Operates automated reprocessing equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner and washer/disinfectors in accordance with the device Instructions for Use (IFU)
Conducts High-Level Disinfection (HLD) procedures by means of manual and automated processes while following the device(s) IFU's
Examines items and instruments for damage - deterioration - or imperfection
Maintains accurate written records of quality and preventative maintenance of such equipment
Follows all device specific Instructions for Use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when conducting assembly and sterilization procedures
Assembles a wide variety of instrument trays and sets used for medical procedures including the operating room
Checks for damaged or missing items and arranges for replacements - maintenance - or repair as needed
Processes - assembles - and performs all phases of sterilization for intricate surgical trays and microsurgery instruments for the operating room (trays contain large numbers of unique - non-interchangeable - specialized surgical instruments of similar appearance - with minor variations in size - conformation - and nomenclature - but with major variation in application)
Researches and applies the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) standards as they pertain to sterile processing and the distribution of medical supplies

Benefits

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior work experience or military service experience
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

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