Medical Technician

Veterans Health Administration•Columbia, MO

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Technician works in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. Two vacancies are available: one day-shift position and one evening-shift position. 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 role supports specimen receiving, accessioning, and processing; chain-of-custody drug screens; reference laboratory specimen processing; clerical functions; patient testing; and phlebotomy. The position includes laboratory and direct patient-care duties, with work performed in a laboratory atmosphere and in patient collection settings. The employee must meet the stated qualification requirements, including experience performing phlebotomy or blood draws on human patients, and must be proficient in basic written and spoken English. This is a drug-testing-designated position. Tentatively selected applicants are subject to urinalysis before appointment; refusal to test or a verified positive result will prevent appointment. A one-year probationary period is required. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, with a day shift from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or an evening shift from 1:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Recruitment and relocation incentives are not authorized, and the Critical Skills Incentive is not approved.

Requirements

Be a U.S. citizen.
Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
Undergo pre-appointment urinalysis for illegal drug use; refusal or a verified positive result precludes appointment.
Meet Selective Service registration requirements if a male born after December 31, 1959.
Pass a background/security investigation and complete online onboarding and acceptable identity-document requirements.
Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for VA Health Care Personnel.
Serve a one-year probationary period.
Meet GS-05 qualifications through one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-04 in medical laboratory support or a closely related technical field, including standardized tests and examinations performed by following detailed written procedures; or through qualifying education; or a qualifying combination of education and experience.
For the education pathway, complete a four-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with a major or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position.
For the combination pathway, education beyond the first 60 semester hours of a bachelor's course of study may be combined with specialized experience; two academic years or 60 semester hours beyond the second year are equivalent to one year of specialized experience.
Be proficient in basic written and spoken English.
Have experience performing phlebotomy or blood draws on human patients.
Submit transcripts if using education to qualify; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
Meet physical requirements that include regular exertion such as walking, bending, recurrent standing, and moderate lifting, as well as the dexterity needed for intricate analytical and technical procedures.
Have normal color vision, pass mask-fit testing, and complete RQI/BLS training.

Responsibilities

Verify patient identity, review laboratory orders, and consolidate requests to ensure accurate specimen collection.
Collect routine and STAT blood specimens from inpatient, outpatient, and CBOC patients with varying medical conditions.
Use aseptic techniques and select appropriate collection sites, needles, devices, and tubes to minimize contamination.
Label specimens accurately and ensure appropriate volume, storage, handling, and specimen integrity.
Collect blood bank specimens, blood cultures, urine drug screens, and respiratory swabs according to established procedures.
Monitor patients during collections, recognize adverse reactions, administer first aid, and initiate emergency procedures when necessary.
Maintain clean, organized collection areas and stocked supplies while following infection-control and biohazard-disposal requirements.
Document collection workload and turnaround times, report uncollected specimens, and perform redraws according to established procedures.
Provide collection guidance to trainees and staff while maintaining courteous patient interactions and providing appropriate patient education.
Receive laboratory specimens, verify orders, accession requests, and evaluate specimen acceptability according to established procedures.
Process specimens through sorting, centrifugation, aliquoting, and plating, and resolve and document pre-analytical discrepancies.
Operate laboratory equipment, including centrifuges, barcode readers, and automated analyzers, according to established procedures.
Perform CLIA-waived and point-of-care testing and document results and required quality-control information.
Conduct quality control and proficiency testing, maintain instruments, track reagents, and report unresolved discrepancies.
Reconcile clinic shipping manifests, verify ordered tests, track pending results, and coordinate specimen transportation.
Monitor storage temperatures, receive laboratory supplies, maintain inventory, and complete required safety records.
Instruct patients on 24-hour urine and stool collection procedures, containers, preservatives, and handling requirements.
Maintain specimen rejection records, instrument printouts, quality-assurance forms, and incomplete laboratory reports.
Assist with microbiology processing and frozen-section procedures while following laboratory safety and infection-control requirements.
Coordinate employee drug screens, maintain chain of custody, complete required documentation, prepare shipments, retain evidentiary records, and maintain DHHS certification.
Maintain laboratory documentation and electronic health records through scanning, data entry, record organization, and staff guidance.
Perform additional duties as assigned to support laboratory operations, regulatory compliance, specimen management, and patient care.