Health Technician

Summary The Health Technician works as a member of the Primary Care Service (PACT) - under the guidance of the PACT/CBOC Clinical Nurse Manager. PACT provides comprehensive outpatient services to eligible veterans who present or are referred for preventative/routine care & urgent medical conditions. The Health Technician assists medical and nursing staff through technical - specialized or support services for the diagnosing or treatment of patient illnesses or medical conditions. Qualifications To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/07/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or educationas described below: Individual Occupational Requirements: Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists - speech pathologists - medical officers - and optometrists. Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled. OR Education and Training For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree - with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. Grade Requirements - You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS 5 Specialized Experience: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled to be eligible for the GS-5 level. OR - Education:Applicants may substitute education for the experience required. Four-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation - if required. The applicant must have successfully completed post-high school education is qualifying for grades GS-3 through GS-5. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school - junior college - college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. 1 year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours - 45 quarter hours - or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. At grades GS-4 and above - a portion of the education is usually directly related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of related courses are provided in the individual occupational requirements where applicable. However - agencies may require other courses if they are considered to be more related to the position to be filled.. OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. The combinations described below are those most typical for these positions - i.e. - for grades GS-3 through GS-5. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements - then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. For GS-5level positions - only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study - or 60 semester hours - beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. GS-06 Specialized Experience: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-5 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled to be eligible for the GS-6 level. To be creditable - specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience - as indicated in the table - are not required by this standard to have general experience - education above the high school level - or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience - including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g. - Peace Corps - AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g. - professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies - knowledge - and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience - including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity. This position requires an ongoing mix of potentially long-periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - pushing - and reaching over head. All patient care activities require PC keyboard and mouse use for data entry in the electronic patient record. Occasional heavy lifting will be required - particularly for patient transfers. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patient who are combative. In some instances - interaction with patients - caregivers - and staff can become intense - and the employee may be placed in a position of stress. The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Duties The Health Technician duties include: Skill and precision in using phlebotomy needles - tools - materials and equipment is required to perform major duties of the position Performs a wide range of diagnostic support duties such as taking - recording - and reporting vital sign deviations to provider obtaining specimens and labeling specimens for the laboratory Makes gross visual observations and identifies subtle changes regarding the patient's condition - documents observations and communicates to practitioners Performs a variety of specialized tests and procedures such as monofilament testing - and doppler exam of the extremity artery Gather's diagnostic information using specialized equipment such as (but not limited to) pulse oximetry - bladder scanner - and ECG machine Monitors patient for adverse reactions - recognizes abnormalities and brings them to the attention of the appropriate medical health care professionals Independently performs direct patient care activities including intake - obtaining vital signs - ECGs - clinical reminders - and medication reconciliation Identifies and reports data relative to more complex - non-routine patient situations including subtle changes in patient's behavior or condition or variations related to neurological signs - vital signs - or other parameters Assist medical personnel in emergent situations as well as performing occasional minor to moderate de-escalation of agitated Veterans Responds to medical urgencies/emergencies - initiates BLS and activates emergency medical system Performs patient care procedures such as collection of specimens - applying dressings - adjusting simple supportive equipment Performs direct patient support work to include collecting information from patients - providing personal patient care - and educating patients on pre-testing and post procedure activities Performs test on patients such as Snellen and Ishihara's Color Deficiency Takes tissue cultures or specimen samples Fits patients for medical devices such as compression hose - blood pressure machines and braces/splints Obtains release forms - assists patients' visitors and others requesting information guidance or referral for special assistance Orders and maintains supplies for the clinic Orders and maintains specialized supplies pertaining to instruments used for procedures in the clinic Performs administrative tasks such as maintaining control records for specimens and tests and documenting measurements taken Test patients - takes measurements - collects - and organizes data from follow up visits - reports result to provider Performs patient check in - including obtaining and recording demographic data - vital signs - height - weight - chief complaint - brief history - current medications - and measurements for specific age groups Prepares patient and treatment area and assists health care professionals with minor surgical - diagnostic - and therapeutic clinic procedures Performs pre-procedure set-up - and dispositions Non-RME per facility standard operating procedures Monitors patient during and after procedures and reports observations to nurse and provider Documents workload and billable care data (encounter) into EMR Maintains examination rooms with medical equipment by ordering and replenishing supplies - and cleaning and organizing between patients Answers telephone inquiries regarding services available and eligibility to provider accurate information and maintains good public relations Performs other related duties as assigned Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 07:00 AM- 3:30 PM - One late schedule of 09:00 AM -5:30 PM Schedule subject to change based on the needs of the Agency Virtual: This is not a virtual position Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD93071A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized VA Healthcare System advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care - you will operate in a model with three core elements - seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. #J-18808-Ljbffr