Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
Basic Requirements:
- United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).
GS-7 Experience: At least one (1) year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-6) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of a Medical Instrument Technician (Electrocardiograph). This would be experience which provide knowledge of the equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities.
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress including the ability to recognize, report and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias;
2. Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures;
3. Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, and scar tissue;
4. Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians;
5. Ability to conduct in-service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation.
Preferred Experience:
- Emergency Department experience preferred
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing kneeling, sitting, bending, pulling and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infectious patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative to secondary delirium, dementia or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be mature, flexible, sensible individual capable to working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.