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.
English Language Proficiency: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook.
Grandfathering Provision: MITs employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard 06/07/12 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.
Grade Determinations:
Medical Instrument Technician (Trainee) GS-4:
Experience or Education: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-3) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level.
OR
Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation.
AND
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of basic medical terminology
- Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used
- Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress
- Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing
Medical Instrument Technician (Trainee) GS-5:
Experience or Education: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-4) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level.
OR
Successful completion of 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions.
AND
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions
- Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment
- Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities
- Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures
- Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine
Medical Instrument Technician (Anesthesia) GS-6:
Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-5) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. Duties may include but not limited to: Operate and monitor commonly used equipment performing routine procedures under normal supervision, functions somewhat independently in carrying out these standardized procedures of limited complexity.
AND
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology (specifically cardiac and pulmonary)
- Knowledge and application of safety and infection control processes
- Ability to serve as a circulating technician for supplies and to assist with documentation of hemodynamic patient data
- Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies and equipment appropriate to less complex anesthetic procedures, such as those found in Ambulatory Surgery
Medical Instrument Technician (Anesthesia) GS-7:
Experience: At least 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 the positions to be filled. Duties may include but not limited to: Aids anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists in less-complex anesthetic procedures such as regional anesthesia (epidural and spinal), laryngeal mask anesthesia, and monitored anesthesia care under close supervision. Technicians will exercise minimal independent judgment in anesthesia technology duties.
AND
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of the fundamentals of standard equipment operation, calibration and function
- Knowledge of correct use of non-invasive patient monitoring equipment specific to anesthesiology
- Ability to appropriately interact with patients during anesthetic procedures
- Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies and equipment appropriate to routine anesthetic procedures, such as those found in typical inpatient settings
Medical Instrument Technician (Anesthesia) GS-8:
Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-7) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. Duties may include but not limited to: Assists anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists in routine anesthetic procedures under general supervision; connect and operate non- invasive hemodynamic monitoring equipment, blood and fluid warmers (e.g., Hot Line and Ranger) and patient warming devices (e.g., Bair Hugger); The technician will exercise moderate independent judgment in anesthesia technology duties.
AND
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of the correct use of invasive patient monitoring equipment specific to anesthesiology
- Knowledge of basic electrocardiography (EKG)
- Skill and ability to troubleshoot equipment, often while the patient is anesthetized
- Skill and ability to maintain sterility during procedures
- Knowledge and understanding of arterial pressure line wave forms including the ability to recognize and distinguish normal from abnormal, artifact from abnormality, and forewarn the physician or anesthetist of an impending life-threatening situation
- Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies, medications, and equipment appropriate to more difficult anesthetic procedures such as those found in inpatient settings with more acutely ill patients
Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at the GS-6, 7 and 8 level have Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to GS-08.
Physical Requirements: Work requires an individual with average dexterity of all extremities. Individual will be standing for a majority of the working hours, but will also include some walking, bending, lifting, and carrying of items. Work also requires transferring and moving patients on stretchers and moving heavy endoscopy equipment carts. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients.