Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Qualifications NOTE: THE 2-PAGE RESUME REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS OCCUPATIONAL SERIES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, REFER TO REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BELOW. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part 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 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 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 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 equipment (RME) 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 (Developmental Level) 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 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, ETO, 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 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 RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well Disassembles the RME 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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds), pulling hand over hand, pushing, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking, standing, and repeated bending Environmental factors include excessive noise (intermittent), working closely with others, and working alone. ]]>