Medical Laboratory Technician

Summary

Medical Laboratory Technician is responsible for the provision of the overall support to the VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) - Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) - the community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) and rural clinics. The incumbent aids as a technical - specialized and support nature to health and medical personnel in the diagnosis and treatment of a patient's illness or medical condition.

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
• Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certification
• Certification
• Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as an MLT granted by the following organizations
• American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) ASCP - Board of Certification
• OR ASCP - Board of Registry
• American Medical Technologists
• OR American Association of Bioanalysts
• Exception
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may receive a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed two years as a graduate MLT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) without the option to extend
• 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: Medical Laboratory Technician - GS-05
• Specialized Experience: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical - microbiologic - hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field - e.g. - biological laboratory technician work - that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled
• OR 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 appropriate to the position to be filled
• Assignment
• This is an entry-level developmental MLT position
• MLTs will typically receive guidance from experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision
• MLTs at this level perform testing in one or more of the following areas: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived testing - phlebotomy - hematology - immunohematology - clinical chemistry - immunology - toxicology - urinalysis - referral laboratory - microbiology and specimen processing
• MLTs recognize data with life-threatening (critical) implications and understand the importance of immediately bringing the data to the attention of the patient's physician and/or nursing staff Medical Laboratory Technician - GS-06
• Experience
• In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of MLT principles - practices - concepts and theories for sound independent work
• Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures to manage reagents and supply inventories using document control systems
• Ability to maintain - troubleshoot and repair instrumentation
• Ability to work as a team member in a laboratory setting to effectively complete assignments
• Ability to use technical judgment to interpret laboratory results
• Ability to apply complex written laboratory instructions
• Ability to consult with other members of the health care team - patients and external customers
• Selective Placement Factor: Fluent in English and Spanish language written and spoken
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Physical Requirements: The work requires manual dexterity and exceptional hand/eye coordination - visual acuity - some physical exertion - such as regular and recurring walking - bending - sitting - and the ability to sit and concentrate for long periods of time while accessioning and standing for several consecutive hours during the preparation of specimens
• In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of the workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job
• The work requires regular and recurrent standing to perform procedures and tests - walking between different areas within the laboratory and throughout the medical center
• Requires use of fingers
• both hands required
• intermittent but possibly prolonged stooping and kneeling
• ability to read and comprehend ordinary type and computer screens
• ability to hear (aid permitted) and work in an environment with constant noise
• working closely with others
• high cognitive function required to work in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities without loss of accuracy
• emotional stability required to maintain self-control in difficult and stressful situations
• Incumbents will be required to wear protective clothing and take safety precautions
• A physical examination prior to placement will be required
• Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring moderate risks and discomforts which require special safety precautions - e.g. - working around moving parts - carts - or machines - with contagious diseases or irritating chemicals
• Employees are required to use protective clothing or gear such as masks - gowns - ear plugs - lab coats - boots - goggles - gloves - shields to moderate risks - or to follow procedures for minimizing risk
• Adherence to safety and universal precautions and use of protective gear are mandatory to reduce occupations risk factors.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties but not limited to: Performs blood and body fluids collection for a wide range of diagnostic laboratory tests in a courteous manner making the patient feel as comfortable as possible - and labeling specimens for the laboratory
• Utilizing VA Healthcare System such as VISTA and CPRS to accurately perform work such as reviewing and accepting lab orders - gathering information required to complete assigned duties - and researching and resolving problems
• Ensuring and verify the correct labeling of specimens and patient identification following Laboratory National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG)
• Orders and maintains adequate inventory of supplies
• Monitors and maintains the phlebotomy station area as well the working station supplies area available with sufficient materials for the required services and assists in keeping inventory up to date
• Actively participates in training and mentoring of new employees and students
• Adheres to safety - infection control - and standard precautions always while drawing blood - handle specimens or performing testing
• Sends out samples - collects - and preserves specimens ensuring the physiologic properties of the specimens are maintained
• Consults with healthcare providers on logical protocol to follow in cases where specimens are inadequate for testing
• Collects blood samples with a minimal number of failures - patient bruising or requiring redrawn specimens
• Performs special drawing procedures such as collecting timed specimens - xylose and lactose tolerance tests - semen analysis collections - urine cytology collection - stool collections for ova and parasites - stool culture - occult blood - sterile mid-stream urine collections - among others - inform patient or patient relative in procedure to be followed prior to - during and after the test to obtain the specimens at the required time
• Work Schedule: Sundays - Saturdays - rotating shifts that may include - but not limited to: 5:00am- 1:30pm - 7:30am- 4:00pm - 4:30pm- 10:00pm - 10:00pm- 6:00am.Compresssed schedules may also be assigned - as applicable
• Will also cover holidays - and during emergency situations according to rotation
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.