Medical Technician - Phlebotomy
About The Position
This position is within the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salem, Virginia. The Medical Technician - Phlebotomy performs nonprofessional technical work in one or more areas of the Clinical Laboratory, including phlebotomy, accessioning and processing, chemistry, hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, and microbiology. This is not a virtual position; the employee must live within or be willing to relocate within a commutable distance of the duty location. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with rotating weekends and holidays. Recruitment and relocation incentives are not authorized, and a Critical Skills Incentive is not approved. The position is designated for drug testing. A one-year probationary period is required.
Requirements
- U.S. citizenship.
- Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
- Experience performing phlebotomy or blood draws on human patients.
- For GS-5, at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4, a qualifying four-year bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in appropriate subjects, or an equivalent combination of post-high-school education and specialized experience.
- Specialized experience must involve applicable technical medical laboratory support or closely related technical support work, including standardized tests and examinations performed by following detailed procedures.
- Experience used to qualify must be documented with job title, duties, start and end dates by month and year, and hours worked per week.
- If using education to qualify, submit transcripts; only qualifying education from accredited institutions is creditable, and foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency.
- Complete the required application steps and online assessment.
- Meet applicable background and security investigation requirements and complete online onboarding.
- Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel requirement.
- Serve a one-year probationary period.
- Meet the physical demands of regular exertion, prolonged standing, bending, lifting moderate to heavy supplies, rapid walking, manual dexterity and coordination, and tolerance for high-stress critical-care situations.
Responsibilities
- Follow procedures for patient identification, specimen procurement, and specimen labeling.
- Perform routine venipuncture specimen collections from patients.
- Collect specimens in the appropriate containers according to laboratory procedures.
- Maintain the physical condition of samples and respond to time factors to preserve the specimen’s physiologic state.
- Educate patients on proper collection techniques.
- Prepare samples for testing, including labeling, centrifugation, decanting, and aliquoting.
- Maintain adequate supplies for phlebotomy and specimen procurement procedures.
- Answer laboratory service calls by providing accurate information or referring callers to technical personnel.
- Perform standard diagnostic tests and procedures, including bleeding time, occult blood, urine dipstick, pregnancy tests, and fingerstick glucose.
- Sterilize equipment using an autoclave and clean glassware and other reusable items.
- Identify and appropriately respond to adverse reactions such as fainting, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, and cardiac arrest.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position eligibility.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
