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.
- Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may not be substituted for experience at this level.
- Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations".
For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition.
- Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 Hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation.
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).
Grade Determinations GS-9 Supervisory GI Technician:
(a) Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which provided knowledge of advanced specialized gastroenterology procedures. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*):
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
1. Advanced knowledge of complex gastroenterology procedures, such as ERCP with spy glass, ablation procedures, mucosal resection procedures, fine needle aspiration procedures and capsule studies.
*2. Ability to provide briefings and orientations, staff development and training to hospital staff including physicians.
*3. Knowledge of professional, legal, and ethical standards inherent to patient safety and rights.
*4. Ability to plan and assist in the establishment of integrated treatment and examination programs.
*5. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment and make recommendations concerning developments which would improve operations.
*6. Ability to manage the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (which would include fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
*7. Ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluation; selection of staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and, when appropriate, disciplinary actions.
(c) Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have SGNA core level one and two certifications (BLS and ACLS).
d) Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Individuals at this level plan and direct programs at affiliated medical centers and their satellite outpatient clinics and have full supervisory responsibility for a large staff of non-supervisory personnel. Typically these duties include assigning and evaluating the work of subordinate staff; resolving problems which may interfere with patient examination or treatment; providing GI Technician services in more complex and non-standard cases; evaluating new products and equipment and making recommendations concerning developments which would improve operations; participating as an instructor in the facility's clinical training program; making final decisions on selections based on recommendations from subordinate supervisors or leads; evaluating performance; taking disciplinary action when necessary; and identifying educational or training needs.
Preferred Experience: Preferred BLS, one year supervisory experience, sterile processing experience, Endoscopy procedural experience.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
This position is above full performance.
Physical Requirements: are but not limited to, visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The SMIT/GI may be exposed to blood borne pathogens, body fluids, and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing (including radioactive protective lead aprons) in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The SMIT/GI may be exposed to chemicals during the reprocessing of equipment. The SMIT/GI may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. They SMIT/GI must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.