The incumbent serves as the assistant to health care providers in the Community Based Outpatient Clinic or other Primary Care setting. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/31/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: health screening and teaching; charting in a computerized patient record; checking and recording vital signs; drawing blood and blood cultures; performing ECG; collecting specimens; intervening effective to assist patients in coping; telephone interventions; and coordinating care with outside facilities and groups. Preferred Experience: One (1) year experience in phlebotomy. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clinical Data Collection/Documentation Communications Patient Care Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is performed in a combination of areas within the Eastern Kansas Health Care System. Although, in general, the work does not require special physical demands, there is a requirement of potentially extend periods of sitting, standing (8 hours), walking (8 hours), stooping, moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), bending, turning, and moderate carrying (15-44 pounds) items such as medical and clerical equipment and supplies. The incumbent must have digital dexterity and adequate vision to perform safe venipuncture procedures. Incumbent must be able to utilize good body mechanics and have stamina to withstand stressful situations, and to travel to distant treatment areas with ease. Work Environment: The work is performed in the outpatient treatment setting. The work environment involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of a medical center environment. Although the incumbent works in a facility where exposure to blood and body fluids, chemical hazards, pathogens, communicable diseases, and carcinogenic materials exist, the tasks performed do not put the incumbent at serious risk for this type of exposure. The incumbent must demonstrate working knowledge of the appropriate safety protocol to include standard precautions, MSDS safety program, use of personal protective equipment in designated areas, and perform proper hand hygiene techniques. The technician must demonstrate a positive attitude in the workplace; showing dependability, cooperation, and desire to produce the most accurate and timely care possible. There is adequate light, heat, and ventilation in the work area. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. ["Major duties and responsibilities: Performs venipuncture, phlebotomy, and capillary blood glucose readings using approved methodology for sample collection to include the importance of proper patient identification. Properly identifies all patients with two identifiers to assure the accuracy of the specimen collected and documentation of the collection is appropriate. Follows procedures for patient identification, sample procurement, and specimen labeling. Proficiently collects blood samples with a minimal number of failures, patient bruising, or required re-sticks, and ensures that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay. Follows established procedures for collecting specimens in the appropriate container, stores/maintains specimen under appropriate conditions, and follows guidelines for collecting timed specimens at the appropriate times to ensure specimen viability. Prepares specimens for analysis, ensuring that the physiological state of the specimen properties is maintained. Responsible for the preparation of samples, preparing the computerized requisition, and preparing the sample for transport. Demonstrates use, purpose, and care of instruments and accompanying accessories. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.