Health Technician

Summary

This position is at the full performance level located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at the New Jersey VA Medical Center in Acute Care. This position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments, as this is a 24/7 hospital.

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Duties

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• Operates and supports providers and Registered Nurses in designated clinical area using diagnostic and therapeutic medical instruments/equipment including Electrocardiogram, Spirometry, Visual Acuity Screening, and Bladder scan according to established procedures and with documented competency.
• Locates and sets up equipment needed for complex diagnostic procedures.
• Operates, calibrates, and maintains medical instruments or equipment.
• Monitors and plans equipment inventory, routine equipment maintenance, and serves as a unit resource for cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization of non-critical, semi-critical, and critical Reusable Medical Devices.
• Demonstrates leadership in advocating patient safety and educate multidisciplinary staff in assigned area on RMD.
• Gathers screening data on patients admitted to the hospital to include fall risk, allergies, current medications, homelessness, abuse, means and mode of arrival, danger to self or others, and exposure to communicable diseases.
• Recognizes and informs appropriate multidisciplinary health care team of deviations from baseline screening parameters.
• Performs phlebotomy in designated areas.
• Applies basic splints and performs dressing changes in designated areas. Performs Point of Care testing using glucometer devices according to established unit procedures and with competency validation.
• Educates other HT staff and serves as the expert resource in specialized equipment/supply maintenance, operation, and quality assurance monitoring.
• The HT assists doctors and nurses in the performance of diagnostic examinations by performing duties such as monitoring vital signs and positioning the patient, or by performing a variety of routine diagnostic tests per policy.
• The HT obtains and records measurements and vital signs and then reports deviations in vital signs and/or weight to the RN or provider.
• As directed by an RN, the HT performs routine diagnostic tests such as venipuncture, electrocardiogram, bladder scans, visual acuity screening appropriate for assigned clinical areas and demonstrated competency.
• Performs TMO monitoring as assigned. May be designated as a Rapid Response Team member when assigned to the ICU.
• The HT performs a wide variety of duties aimed at increasing the comfort and spirit of the patient including transporting patients via wheelchair or gurney, and/or accompanies ambulatory patients who need assistance to various areas within the hospital
• Applies protective devices such as body holders/vests, soft restraints, padded mitts, side rails, etc
• Schedules procedures, provider evaluations, and coordinates appointments with other services.
• Orders and maintains specialized supplies needed for equipment and instruments used in assigned unit
• Works with logistics and nursing staff to establish par levels of supplies for assigned unit and ensures supplies are readily available for patient care.
• Assists with stocking and room turn-over to ensure the patient care environment is prepared to receive and care for patients.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: as needed by the service.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Health Technician / PD39018A

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• 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 identification 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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 or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/13/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement : Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology to include location and function of major body organs and structures. Experience with Lead placement for 12 lead electrocardiogram and telemetry monitoring, monitor alarm parameters, operation, and maintenance of cardiopulmonary and electrocardiogram equipment. Vital sign measurements, deviation from norms, documentation, and procedure for reporting results. Pulse oximetry monitoring, peak flow measurement, and incentive spirometry. Knowledge of life-threatening emergencies and initial response. Knowledge of emergency situations such as cardiopulmonary failure, hemorrhaging, and shock and how to assist in the performance of resuscitation measures. Safe patient handling including patient transfers and transportation by wheelchair and/or gurney. Operation of safe patient handling equipment Infection control practices including universal precautions to protect patients and self from infection

NOTE: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position.

Individual Occupational Requirements

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): 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 required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Clerical
• Clinical Data Collection/Documentation
• Diagnostic Medical Testing
• Patient Care

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.

Note : A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The position includes physical exertion such as regular and recurring walking, stooping, bending, reaching, and

lifting of equipment and supplies. The incumbent must be able to lift 35 lbs., perform the following: pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulders and laterally, use of fingers, both hands, arm, and legs, sitting, walking, and standing for long periods of time. He/She must also be able to hear whispered voices (with or without a hearing aid), kneeling, repeated bending, ability for rapid mental/muscular coordination simultaneously, visual requirements for monitoring, observation, depth perception, and ability to distinguish shades of color.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

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

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.

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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.