Medical Supply Technician - Sterile Processing

Summary

This Medical Supply Technician (MST) position is assigned to Sterile Processing Service (SPS) at the Salt Lake City George E. Whalen Hospital and supports safe management and reprocessing of critical and semi-critical reusable medical devices (RMD). The incumbent's primary role is to independently perform RMD decontamination, inspection, assembly, packaging, sterilization/HLD, storage, distribution, and required daily equipment/process checks within validated competencies and approved MIFU/SOP.

Duties

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The employee uses current manufacturer instructions for use (MIFU), approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Competency Assessment Tools (CATs), the approved instrument tracking system (ITS), applicable VHA requirements, and SPS Quality Management System (QMS) controls. Duties include, but are not limited to: Applies required attire, PPE, contamination-control and safety practices. Locates and follows current MIFU/SOP/CAT requirements and immediately stops/escalates when instructions are missing, unclear, conflicting, or outside the employee's validated competency. Completes required ITS scans, count-sheet documentation, process records and other approved quality records accurately and contemporaneously. Corrects or escalates documentation gaps before affected RMD advances or is released. Recognizes damaged/incorrect RMD, failed process controls, equipment alarms, missing traceability, compromised packaging, environmental concerns, and other nonconformities. Protects/contains affected RMD, stops work when indicated, notifies the appropriate Lead/Supervisor, documents the event as required, and does not resume/release the affected process until authorized criteria are met. Receives critical/semi-critical RMD, disassembles devices as required, reviews MIFU/SOP, and independently determines the correct authorized cleaning method, equipment and chemistry within current competency. Inspects function/condition, uses count sheets, assembles assigned sets, selects appropriate packaging/protection and identifies the correct authorized sterilization/HLD method from current instructions. Operates assigned sterilization/HLD equipment and verifies/document required process controls and release criteria according to current procedures. Failed/uncertain processes are contained and not released. Performs and documents required daily operational checks/tests for assigned reprocessing equipment before use; removes equipment from service and initiates notification/work-order processes when acceptance criteria are not met. Maintains event-related sterility, FIFO, package-integrity and storage/distribution controls and supports point-of-use readiness as assigned. Provides technical assistance to developmental MSTs within current competency and supports Leads/Supervisors with safe workflow, while formal workload leadership and personnel management remain outside this assignment unless separately designated. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 6AM to 2:30PM Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of 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 $416.66. 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: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 54534A, 54535A, 54536A, 54538A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Qualifications

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 chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. Experience and/or Education: Must have one of the following: Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; OR 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 Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. 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. 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). Grandfathering Provision: All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (5/28/2014) 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. Grade Determinations: GS-03 (Entry Level) Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. This is an entry level MST position. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. GS-04 (Developmental Level) Experience or Education: Must have one of the following: 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 Two years of education above high school that included 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 U.S. 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. GS-04 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 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. Assignment. This is a developmental level MST position. Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME). Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and t