Qualifications

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
• Experience and/or Education Experience
• Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work
• or Education
• One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position
• or Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
• Certification
• None
• Grandfathering Provision
• All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the 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)
• GS-07 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) Grade Determinations: Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments
• Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules and regulations
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers
• Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures
• Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments
• Assignment: The Lead MST works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team
• Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations
• Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload
• Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload
• Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs
• Monitors and reports on the status of work
• Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow
• Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines
• Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical medical equipment, material and instrumentation
• Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion
• Instructs employees on work-related activities, policies, procedures and goals
• Preferred Experience: Two years minimum experience as SPS lead technician
• Two years minimum experience as surgical technician
• Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed and the ability to communicate effectively as a lead technician
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with end users, team leaders, and managers
• Knowledge of sterility principles (proficient in decon, prep & pack, GI, HLD, & sterilization) Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and work assignments
• Expertise in identifying surgical instruments Assembling complex trays (orthopedic, vascular, heart) and delicate trays (eyes) Experience with DaVinci Proficiency in electronic instrument tracking system (preferably CensiTrac) Certifications (CBSPD, IAHCHMM, or HSPA and CIS) 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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7.
• Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus
• The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted
• The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment
• The work requires pushing heavy carts, standing, and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds)
• The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation
• On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment
• The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm
• The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers
• The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items
• The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown
• The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling
• Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment
• The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.