Health Technician

Summary

You will serve at VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS), Seattle Division, and operate as a Health Technician assigned to the Patient Escort Service (PES), a subsection within the Nurse Executive Office. The primary mission of PES is to provide allied support of patient care functions to active duty, reserve, and Veterans of the United States Armed Forces and allied beneficiaries receiving health care services at VAPSHCS.

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Duties

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Provide mobility assistance to patients requiring transport by wheelchair, stretchers, medical beds, or other clinical contraptions.

Manage a centralized dispatch operation.

Assist doctors and nurses in managing clinical emergencies (codes).

Use Safe Patient Handling equipment and techniques to perform patient lifts, transfers, and other assistive maneuvers.

Manage a high number of calls using multiple rollover lines.

Write down caller information and promptly respond to such.

Deal calmly and courteously with callers, some of whom may be upset or irate.

Transport patients that are receiving IV sedations, blood product transfusions, chemotherapy agents, or are on cardiac monitors only when RNs/Physicians accompany such transports.

Procure blood products from the lab in accordance with Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) policy and procedures.

Transport collected specimens to the lab for analysis; delivers specimens to designated areas in the lab; time stamps dispatch sheet upon delivery of specimens.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: This position has various work schedules. The selections assigned work schedule will be determined by the needs of the service.

Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/ PD40984A

Physical Requirements: The employee works long periods (possibly hours) on his/her feet standing, walking, pushing, pulling, bending, lifting and utilizing SPH equipment. When performing dispatch operations, the incumbent sits at a desk (possibly for hours) and answers a phone and writes down caller information at the repetitive rate of about 25 calls per hour. When performing transport duties, the incumbent is able to carry out a minimum of four transports per hour or 30 transports per 8-hour tour of duty. Must have physical control of one's torsos and extremities, as necessary, to execute gross and fine motor movements within normal ranges of motion. Possesses sufficient strength in legs to ambulate while performing manual/motorized transports. Possesses sufficient strength to grip and control movement of equipment for the durations of transports. Must be able to physically walk up and down stairs, as necessary to carry out transports of hand-carried items. Must be able to utilize office equipment. Must be able to read and understand information in printed and electronic format such as that presented in charts, on patient's identification bands, computer screens, phones, communications badges, and other handheld devices as may be employed for use by staff during the performance of duties.

Work Conditions : The incumbent works out of a central office with adequate seating for staff, sufficient light for reading, and climate controls to regulate room temperature. The great majority of PES work is performed inside the medical center with some transports of patients and items to/from outside patios, courtyards, and curbsides at the front and rear entrances to the medical center. VA-issued uniforms may be required to be worn when on duty. VA-issued keys and proximity cards are carried on one's person for purposes of gaining access to offices and restricted areas as necessary. The work environment also contains increased risks associated with potentially fatal infections or situations involving difficult or disturbed patients.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• The Selected Applicant must be proficient in the English language.
• The Selected Applicant must work uncommon tours of duty as needed, to include nights, weekends, holidays, overtime, rotating shifts, and emergency call-backs.
• The Selected Applicant must be eligible for Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credential and must maintain PIV credential eligibility during their services with the agency.
• 5 CFR § 330.502 - General restriction on movement after competitive appointment applies.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

GS-04 grade level: Have six (6) months of Generalized Experience and six (6) months of Specialized Experience equivalent to the GS-3 level. Examples of General Experience would typically include but are not limited to: Independently performing duties such as independently performing customer service duties. Specialized experience: 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 requires application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. Examples of Specialized Experience would typically include, but are not limited to: dispatching operations, prioritizing telephone calls, accurately annotating caller's information, or providing indirect or direct patient care. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, GS level (if a federal position), duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week .

OR

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-04 level.

EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) : Have successfully completed two (2) years above High School education with 12 semester hours related to a study in medical, health, or related fields. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. This education must have been obtained in an accredited school, junior college, college, or university. One year of full-time academic 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.

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-04 level.

COMBINATION: EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Have a combination of college level- education beyond one (1) year with course(s) related to a study in medical, health, or related fields, and General and/or Specialized Experience to meet total experience requirements. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-4. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. I have computed the percentage of these requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100%.To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-04. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

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:

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.Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.?

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.