Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

The Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System consists of two inpatient campuses located at Little Rock and N. Little Rock, Arkansas.

Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas, located in the central part of the state. Little Rock has earned a reputation among history buffs, foodies and art lovers as an exciting place to live.

Residents can spend their weekend exploring the historic Arkansas State Capitol, wandering through the Arkansas Art Center or enjoying, the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

Medical Supply Aide and Technician : The Medical Supply Technician (MST) is responsible for the decontamination and processing of all Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) at CAVHS.

The primary purpose of this position is to perform independently the full range of duties required to decontaminate, clean, sterilize, process, prepare, store, and distribute medical supplies and equipment used in the hospital.

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 : (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work;
• or (2) 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 surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position;

or (3) Experience / Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

Certification : None. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.

S. programs. Grade Determinations : Medical Supply Technician, GS-03 (Entry Level) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Medical Supply Technician, GS-04 (Developmental Level) Experience. Six months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting;

or Education. Two years of education above high school that includes at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation.

NOTE : Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces, the Maritime Service, or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below : - Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.

• Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room / clinic instrument sets. - Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
• Ability to communicate both orally and in writing. Medical Supply Technician, GS-05 (Developmental Level) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level;

or Education. Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs : - Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinical settings.

Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility. - Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.

Medical Supply Technician, GS-06 (Full Performance Level) 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 : - Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.

• Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. - Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures.
• Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation. - Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

References : VA Handbook 5005 / 76, Part II Appendix G47, Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) Qualification Standard.

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-3 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements : Heavy lifting (45 pounds and over), heavy carrying (45 pounds and over), straight pulling, pushing, both hands required, walking, standing, repeated bending, both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, specific vision requirement (20 / 50 one, 20 / 100+ other, glasses permitted), mental and emotional stability, ability to read printed material without strain, ability to wear safety shoes.

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services). "Current, permanent VA employees or Federal employees from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12294764-24-KMS The duties include but are not limited to : Inventories, replenishes shortages from sterile supply, inspects for sterility integrity for instrument sets and expendable items.

Adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Rotates, restocks outdated supplies, and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards, clinics, and the operating room.

Initiates requests for items based on the daily schedule of needs or individual requisitions. Performs daily housekeeping duties to ensure environment of care is maintained.

Prepares individual surgical case carts with required instruments and surgical supplies for each scheduled and emergency operative procedure.

Operates automation equipment to prepare, store, retrieve or process information. Trains new and / or lower graded employees at the request of supervision.

Decontamination Receives a full range of reusable medical supplies, instruments and equipment from hospital wards, clinics and operating rooms.

Adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Decontaminates reusable items by determining the appropriate method for removing gross contamination by means of manual cleaning procedures.

Disassembles, decontaminates, and reassembles items as required. Operates automated reprocessing equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner and washer / disinfectors in accordance with the device Instructions for Use (IFU).

Conducts High-Level Disinfection (HLD) procedures by means of manual and automated processes while following the device(s) IFU's.

Examines items and instruments for damage, deterioration or imperfection. Performs first echelon maintenance and / or troubleshoots medical equipment.

Maintains accurate written records of quality and preventative maintenance of such equipment. Assembly and Sterilization Follows all device specific Instructions for Use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) when conducting assembly and sterilization procedures.

Adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Assembles a wide variety of instrument trays and sets used for medical procedures including the operating room.

Checks for damaged or missing items and arranges for replacements, maintenance, or repair as needed. Processes, assembles, and performs all phases of sterilization for intricate surgical trays and microsurgery instruments for the operating room (trays contain large numbers of unique, non-interchangeable, specialized surgical instruments of similar appearance, with minor variations in size, conformation, and nomenclature, but with major variation in application).

Performs daily spore testing and sterilizer control measures as it relates to quality assurance principles of sterilization and elimination of cross contamination and determines whether items are free of microorganisms.

Monitors and interprets biological challenges processed for each sterilization cycle. Accepts accountability for the transport, tracking, and return of items at storage locations.

Researches and applies the (JCAHO), (OSHA) and (FDA) standards as they pertain to sterile processing and the distribution of medical supplies.

Work Schedule : Multiple shifts available. Technicians will be required to rotate and be on call to accept calls on weekends and holidays.

Pay : Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off : 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.

Parental Leave : After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy : After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $ Retirement : Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance : Federal health / vision / dental / term life / long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework : Not available Virtual : Not virtual position Functional Statement # : 00436-F"