Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - RMD Coordinator for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team. The Las Vegas VA Medical Center is searching for a highly motivated and skilled RMD coordinator. Responsible for the quality management system activities within Sterile Processing Services, to include Quality Assurance (QA) monitoring, staff competency assessment, and enforcement of standard operating procedures. 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. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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. 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). Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. 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:GS-07 Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - RME Coordinator Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06). Example of equivalent experience are but not limited to: assembling highly complex instrument sets including, but not limited to, 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to interact with individuals of varying backgrounds in order to assess the needs of the department. 2. Ability to coordinate work in order to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion. 3. Ability to interpret and apply sterile processing/infection prevention regulations and policies. 4. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment. 5. Ability to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in carrying out sterile processing functions. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/83 PART II, APPENDIX G47, MEDICAL SUPPLY TECHNICIAN (STERILE PROCESSING) QUALIFICATION STANDARD, GS-622, DATED JULY 8, 2015. Preferred: Must possess a SPS certification from either International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) or Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD). As per qualification standards applicants must have Sterile Processing Experience. Interpreting manufacture IFUs, writing SOPs and competencies. Speaking publicly and training staff on procedures for processing RMD. The full performance level of this vacancy is 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 standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much Page 4 of 5 as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation. ["- Monitors quality assurance in the cleaning/decontamination, sterilization, reprocessing, and distribution of surgical instruments and technical medical equipment processed in SPS - Ensures national sterile processing standards are followed in the process of cleaning/decontamination, sterilization, reprocessing, and distribution of critical and/or semicritical reusable medical equipment. - Serves as liaison between SPS and other departments. - Have communication and customer service skills when dealing with internal and external customers. - Ensures staff is competent for reprocessing critical and semi-critical RMD. - Updates the Chief (or designee) on patient safety alerts and issues concerning reusable medical devices. - Troubleshoots and analyzes mechanical failures, makes necessary adjustments to complex decontamination and sterilization equipment, as well as interprets alarm conditions which may occur while operating the equipment. - Establishes and maintains frequent contacts with interdisciplinary staff and outside vendors and manufactures. - Develops procedures to evaluate the quality of work performance and outcomes as it relates to the quality assurance program. - Tracks and analyzes required documentation pertaining to critical, and semi-critical RMD within the scope of SPS for quality control purposes - Responsible for facilitating training of various aspects of SPS, including reprocessing and inventory management. Conducts departmental orientation, training, skills review and assists with educational programs to maintain high staff quality performance standards. Identifies and promotes staff development. - The incumbent is a resource for Medical Supply Technicians in the loading and operation of sterilizers such as Steam, Sterrad, and high-level disinfecting process as well as reprocessing of endoscopes. - Conducts Quality Assurance monitoring on all activities performed in Sterile Processing to evaluate efficacy of training and education, to include, simple and complex instrument cleaning, endoscope reprocessing, surgical instrument tray preparation, sterilization monitoring, case cart assembly, mechanical equipment efficacy testing, and staff training and competency documentation. - Incumbent will perform second checks of MST instrument set validation as needed or in the absence of a lead MST or Supervisor, for that tour of duty or day, per VA Directive. - Incumbent performs and reports all monthly quality checks of RMD at point of use to identify non-conforming products. - Collaborates closely with clinic and other leadership to ensure required instrumentation is available. - Manages the CheckPoint/ViewPoint access and monitoring of temperature and humidity for the facilities RMD storage areas to include ensuring rooms are annually tested for proper air balance. - Maintains documentation of all QA activities and reports to the Chief, SPS, Assistant Chief SPS, and recommends improvement opportunities. - Performs other duties as assigned. - Coordinate special requests for OR instrumentation and equipment. - Co-Chairs the Facility Reusable Medical Device Committee, maintains Agenda, Minutes and Various staff resources like Alerts and recalls pertaining to RMD. Educates RMD Champions, that serve as a liaison for areas that use RMD. - Conducts RMD tracer rounds for all areas of the Facility that utilize RMD, reports finding in the Facility RMD Committee meeting agendas. - Updates VISN 21, SPS, SOPS and Competencies as directed by the VISN 21, SPS/RMD Lead Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 07:00-15:30 Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 593-02641-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.