Medical Instrument Technician (EKG/Monitor Watcher)

Summary The Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) - Electrocardiograph (EKG) Technician/(Monitor Watcher) is a clinical/technical specialist who provides cardiac monitoring and patient care duties under the supervision of the Registered Nurse. The MIT/Monitor Watcher will be responsible for direct and indirect patient care. Clinical skills and proficiency are required for EKG monitoring, assessment, evaluation, age-appropriate care, and documentation. 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 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 Certifications/Registrations" Physical Requirements See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 English Language Proficiency Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English Titles and Certifications/Registrations: Electrocardiograph Technicians (EKG) operate instruments used to record electrocardiograms, exercise tolerance tests, 24-48 hour monitoring and scanning, and pacemaker evaluations Certification is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT) 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: GS-7: Experience At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the positions to be filled This would be experience which provided knowledge of the equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs – demonstrated knowledge, skills, and abilities: knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress, including the ability to recognize, report, and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures, plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, and scar tissue Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians Ability to conduct in‑service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation Certification No certification is required However, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications Assignment This represents the full performance level Medical instrument technicians (EKG) at this level operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment to perform specialized examinations and studies involving exercise stress testing, ambulatory monitoring of arrhythmias, and indirect carotid pulse tracings on chronic patients They monitor tracings to identify arrhythmias and, when gross abnormalities appear, when to repeat certain procedures, when to stop test procedures, and when to get the immediate attention of a physician They evaluate test results to determine appropriate machine adjustments and use alternative techniques and procedures when established procedures do not accomplish acceptable results This includes adapting equipment and accessories to yield the best results during the examination They edit and select an appropriate sample portion of the tracing for further interpretation by the physician Preferred Experience: Basic Life Support certifications are desirable Experience in monitoring cardiac rate, rhythm, and patterns of conduction at a monitoring station for multiple patients concurrently Duties The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two‑division campus located in Cincinnati – OH and Fort Thomas – KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue – KY, Florence – KY, Lawrenceburg – IN, Hamilton – OH, Clermont County – OH, and Georgetown – OH The CVAMC also supports two off‑main‑campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division Monitors patient rhythm and determines proper alarm settings after verifying with the Registered Nurse (RN) Monitors for abnormal cardiac rhythms and understands that emergency medical treatment may be needed for such rhythms Recognizes and reports changes in rhythms to the RN Obtains and analyzes rhythm strips within 30 minutes of each four (4) hours and as needed with change in patient rhythm Detects abnormal or changing rates, rhythm, or patterns of conduction directly from the oscilloscopic rhythm display, from computer‑triggered alarms, or computer memory Collaborates with BioMedical Engineering personnel - troubleshoots - and identifies potential equipment malfunction Maintains cleanliness of the station equipment and work area Recognizes life‑threatening situations and notifies the Registered Nurse while simultaneously initiating emergency procedures Work Schedule: Days/Evenings/Nights with rotating weekend/holidays

1. st position: 7:30 am to 8 pm (12‑hour shift) or 7:30 am to 4 pm (8‑hour shift)
2. nd position: 11:30 am to 12 am (12‑hour shift) or 3:30 pm to 11:30 pm (8‑hour shift)
3. rd position: 7:30 pm to 8 am (12‑hour shift) or 11:30 pm to 8 am (8‑hour shift)

Functional Statement #: GS‑7 – 926330 Benefits Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases 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 401(k) 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) #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs