Qualifications

NOTE: You must include qualifying specialized experience in mm/yyyy to mm/yyyy format on your resume and indicate Full-Time or Part-Time (if Part-time, must include # of hours worked per week). AND, if you have held a Government position, that position's grade level MUST be listed on your resume 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
• English Language Proficiency
• MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English 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: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• GS-06 Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05 Developmental)
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate, in their resume, all of 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
• Preferred Experience: SPS background required, National Certification Preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, sterile supply, and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus
• The MST may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty, and poorly lighted
• The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing for prolonged periods of time, frequent bending and stretching/reaching, walking, and pushing fully-loaded carts which must be negotiated up inclines and over rises, or positioning them
• There are frequent trips throughout the facility picking up soiled items or delivering clean/sterile equipment
• The employee usually stands and moves from one part of the room to another while performing duties
• There is frequent requirement for lifting individual instruments, instrument trays, and items weighing up to 50 pounds from just above the floor to above the head
• The technician transports trays and equipment on a variety of carts that may weigh several hundred pounds when full
• Employee must be acutely aware of safety requirements when moving these carts as they have areas that extend outside the visible area that can cause harm to other staff or equipment
• The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly, and assembly of instrumentation
• Computer work and instrument sorting requires periods of intense visual concentration 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, shoe covers, and other appropriate personal protective equipment 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 employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries
• The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown
• The employee often works around biohazard materials such as
• body fluids, mucous, excretions, and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling
• Strong, unpleasant odors may be encountered while decontaminating and disinfecting instrumentation or reusable medical equipment
• The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts, and operation of cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilization equipment.