Medical Technician - Phlebotomy

Veterans Health Administration • Grand Junction, CO

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Medical Technician serves in the Phlebotomy and Specimen Receiving section of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PLMS) at the Western Colorado Health Care System. The position supports patient care through phlebotomy and specimen-related work, including inventory and record control, specimen accessioning, collection guidance, processing, testing, storage, clerical tasks, shipping, and quality improvement activities.

The technician performs blood collection from designated inpatients and outpatients, confirms patient identity, labels specimens, and provides minor first aid when needed. Other duties include waived-complexity testing, receiving and processing a range of specimens, entering orders and registering patients in reference laboratory systems, tracking results, and preparing specimens for shipment in accordance with applicable regulations. The technician also instructs patients on specimen collection and works with clinic and hospital staff to support compliance with collection and handling requirements.

This is an in-person position. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The work takes place in laboratories, clinics, inpatient units, and bedside settings, with potential exposure to infectious materials, hazardous chemicals, bloodborne pathogens, and other specimen-handling hazards. The role requires physical activity, including standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting or carrying items up to 45 pounds, with assistance as needed.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Experience performing phlebotomy or blood draws on human patients.
• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 in technical medical laboratory support or a closely related technical support field; qualifying work may include laboratory testing and examinations or biological laboratory technician work applying relevant methods and techniques.
• Alternatively, at least one-half year of directly related graduate-level education from an accredited college or university may substitute for experience; transcripts are required.
• Alternatively, an equivalent combination of qualifying post-high-school education and experience may be used; transcripts are required when education is used.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must complete the required application steps and online assessment.
• Selected applicants for this drug-testing-designated position are subject to pre-employment urinalysis; refusal or a verified positive result prevents appointment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Subject to background and security investigation.
• Must complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• Must be able to perform recurring physical exertion, including standing, walking, bending, stooping, reaching, and carrying or lifting items up to 45 pounds, with assistance as needed.
• May need manual dexterity and coordination, including hand-eye coordination or good color vision, for precise procedures such as venipuncture and specimen handling.

Responsibilities

• Collect blood from designated inpatients and outpatients using venipuncture or capillary techniques.
• Confirm patient identity and ensure specimens are properly and completely labeled.
• Provide minor first aid when necessary to address unfavorable patient reactions.
• Protect patient privacy in accordance with HIPAA.
• Perform special procedures, including administering oral products such as glucola for glucose tolerance testing and collecting specimens for forensic or medico-legal purposes.
• Perform CLIA-waived complexity testing and submit results to a Clinical Laboratory Scientist for review and verification.
• Receive tissue, blood, urine, stool, sputum, and other body-fluid specimens.
• Perform laboratory-specimen clerical tasks, including order entry, patient registration, specimen accessioning, receipt and completeness checks of reference-lab results, and checking for pending results.
• Sort specimens according to testing location, requirements, and turnaround-time priority.
• Process specimens for shipment to reference laboratories using procedures, test codes, requisition forms, and materials compliant with applicable EPA and OSHA regulations.
• Instruct patients in the use of specimen containers and the correct timing of specimen collection.
• Educate and monitor clinic and hospital staff regarding specimen collection requirements and handling guidelines.
• Research test catalogs or locate commercial laboratories able to perform rare and unusual tests.
• Perform inventory and record control, specimen storage, and quality improvement activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees receive a comprehensive benefits package; benefits eligibility depends on position type.
• Selected applicants may qualify to request credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior federal work or military service; approval is required and is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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