Medical Supply Technician - Sterile Processing

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 Experience and/or Education: Experience: Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work or Education: 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 Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable Certification: None Grandfathering Provision All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard 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 For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it have provisions listed in VA Handbook 5005 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 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, VA Handbook 5005 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-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: 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 Education: 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 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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 devices (RMD) Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes Prepares operating room case carts MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision GS-05 (Expert experience wise) Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level or Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment Assignment: This is a developmental level MST position Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room Prepares, loads, and operates sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex tasks and require direct supervision on new assignments GS-06 (Full Performance Level) Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures Assignment: This is the full performance level for the occupation Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RMD in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well Disassembles the RMD and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06 The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06 Physical Requirements: The position requires long periods of standing, walking, bending and lifting The employee usually stands and moves from one part of the department to another There is a frequent requirement for lifting baskets of stainless steel instruments weighing in excess of 25 pounds from floor level to chest level Dexterity and strength are required for lifting and positioning RME The employee regularly pushes loaded carts weights several hundred pounds and loads them into elevators and through entryways The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and be able to shift priorities based on needs. ]]]]>