Med Instrument Tech (Polysomnography)

Summary

As Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) of the Charles George Veterans Affairs Medical Center (CGVAMC) in the Sleep Disorders Center (SDC), independently operates and monitors neurodiagnostic equipment and provides patient care in the CPAP, Home Sleep Testing, and Nighttime Sleep clinics.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to the following: The technician performs a full range of standard, but complex examinations including overnight sleep studies, MSLT (multiple sleep latency tests), Home Sleep Studies, PAP (positive airway pressure), routine sleep study testing, follow-up monitoring, other clinical duties. The incumbent is expected to perform direct and indirect patient care duties, perform and score diagnostic testing including overnight polysomnography, multiple sleep latency testing, maintenance of wakefulness test and home sleep testing. Additionally, the incumbent performs and supervises staff performing therapeutics including PAP titration, maintenance, and remote monitoring in addition to the supervisory and administrative duties. The incumbent must be able to operate a variety of equipment including APAP/CPAP/BiPAP devices, AVAPS devices, Home Sleep Test Devices (HST), Polly Sonogram Devices to include oxygen monitors/analyzers, electroencephalograms (EEG), electrocardiograms (EKG), electrooculography (EOG), electromyography (EMG), pressure transducers, and other items of equipment used in providing sleep medicine therapy. Additionally, the incumbent performs therapeutics including PAP titration, maintenance, and remote monitoring. The incumbent must be able to operate a variety of equipment including APAP/CPAP/BiPAP devices, AVAPS devices, Home Sleep Test Devices (HST), Polly Sonogram Devices to include oxygen monitors/analyzers, electroencephalograms (EEG), electrocardiograms (EKG), electrooculography (EOG), electromyography (EMG), pressure transducers, and other items of equipment used in providing sleep medicine therapy. FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: In addition to the neurophysiologic skills, the MIT will adhere to the SDC policies in diagnostic monitoring and treatment particularly among complex patients. The MIT will participate in various duties including home sleep testing hook-up, PAP clinics, multiple sleep latency and maintenance of wakefulness testing. The incumbent will participate in remote care via Home Sleep Testing and PAP modem downloads. The technician will know medical terminology, anatomy, physiology as it relates to sleep disorders. They have advanced knowledge of The International classification of sleep disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and or rare sleep disorders. The technician will understand the relationship of events, sleep stages, and possible medical conditions which influence or result from events occuring during sleep. They will use this knowledge to review medical records, read and understand routine and complex sleep study orders. They will know normal and abnormal results and will document abnormalities during procedure. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Remote: This is not a remote position Telework: This is not a telework position Functional Statement #: 000000 EDRP: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions. 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". 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-08: Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided a knowledge of the more complex procedures as well as knowledge of the uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Advanced knowledge or the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. 2. Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form. 3. Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stage, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action. 4. Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians Certification. No certification or registration is required. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable for employees at this level. Preferred Experience: Sleep clinic outpatient, and/or medic. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position typically are somewhat sedentary. The position requires the employee to be occasionally mobile; periods of daily walking are occasional and require the employee to walk long/intermediate/short distances that can include pushing and/or pulling a 4-wheeled basket or industrial-type cart with a collective weight up to 60-100 pounds. It's a position that requires occasional moderate lifting of 35 pounds or less. When the employee isn't mobile, they will be sitting at a workstation. The position requires the employee to sometimes bend at the waist or stoop down, or to stretch, and to sometimes stand for long/moderate/short periods of time. Concentration and sustained high performance under prolonged high stress is regularly required because of time-factor constraints needed to complete work assignments and to meet national and local customer service mandates; excellent hand/finger dexterity and superior mental acuity are crucial to achieving an end result of providing expedient customer service. Employee may be required to work rotating shifts (including weekends) with rotating days off; tours of duty may start before or stretch beyond the normal VAMC business hours of 7:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.