Health Technician

Health Technician

Serve as a key contact for veterans and beneficiaries seeking diagnostic services, experiencing problems, and/or requesting information. Greet and welcome veterans requesting assistance, determining nature of diagnostic needs, questions or complaints, answers questions, provides information, gives guidance, and initiates action as appropriate. As the administrative assistant to professional staff, ensure clinical staff are relieved of clerical/administrative duties, and provide full, complete, technical advice, administrative support, training, guidance, problem solving/resolution for efficient coordination of diagnostic services. Serve as liaison and resource person between supportive staff, clinicians, veterans, families, law enforcement, medical or public agencies, utilizing independent judgment as interpreted from guidelines for decisions. Interpret providers' orders, requests for laboratory testing, follow-up paperwork, paperwork for fee of contractual agreement with appointment notifications to veteran/clinical staff. Schedules examinations and laboratory tests coordinating date and time. Collect specimens when needed in the emergency room, hospital rooms, extended care rooms and out-patient specimen collection area. Identify tests that require special handling conditions and appropriately perform proper specimen collection. Perform emergency care procedures in the event a patient has a reaction to blood collection procedures, including fainting, hematoma, and anxiety. Maintain an adequate supply of phlebotomy supplies and reports shortages to logistics staff or the supervisor for resolution. Ensure that only in-date supplies are used, rotate supplies appropriately to minimize waste and discard expired supplies appropriately (biohazard, sharps, or routine waste containers.) Perform other 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 through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM PDT.

Telework: This is not a telework position.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Health Technician PD80397A and PD80399A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Physical Requirements: The work involves various physical demands requiring the employee to be versatile in the many functions performed. These include sedentary work performed at a desk with intermittent standing, walking, bending, lifting, stooping, and stretching. When transferring patients, providing patient care, the employee must practice good body mechanics to prevent injury to self and others. The demands may be unpredictable requiring the incumbent to adjust accordingly. Requires the ability to work under pressure, make sound decisions, and maintain composure in different situations if necessary. Work is performed at a fast pace. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. Position requires occasional lifting of reagent and supply containers weighing up to 20 pounds.

Work Conditions: Work is performed in inpatient, outpatient, intensive care, and extended care areas of the hospital. The areas are typically well lit, ventilated and air conditioned. Outside noise interference is reduced to a minimum. Work is performed within full view and hearing of patients and the public. There are moderate risks which require safety precautions: These may involve stress, verbal or physical abuse caused by disturbed or agitated patients or family. The employee is subject to exposure to communicable diseases. Contact with patients increases significant chances of needle sticks. The use of protective equipment, such as, but not limited to, gloves and protective clothing is required. The technician is regularly exposed to bio-hazardous material encountered in a clinical laboratory. This includes daily exposure to potentially infectious patients or materials, and occasional exposure to hazardous chemicals. The incumbent works days, evening or weekend shifts as mission requires to provide quality patient care.