CLS - Lab Chemistry

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Be a citizen of the United States (U.Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university

NOTE: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held

Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including - Ancillary Testing Coordinator - Education Coordinator - Laboratory Information Manager - Quality Manager - Laboratory Manager - Regional Technical Specialist - National Quality and Compliance Agent - Regional Program Manager - Regional Director - Laboratory Director - or National Quality and Compliance Officer)

A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science - medical technology - clinical laboratory science - or in a related science (for example - chemistry - biochemistry - biology - microbiology - immunology - etc.) AND Completion of a medical technology clinical practice program within the last 5 years

Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must be accredited by the NAACLS - Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP - formerly CAHEA) - or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology) - 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*) - and one course in mathematics AND 1 year of post-MLT certification clinical laboratory experience within the last 3 years

This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing (as categorized by the FDA) in a clinical laboratory

Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university including 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of biological science (with one course in microbiology) - 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry*) - and one course in mathematics AND 4 years of clinical laboratory experience within the last nine years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood bank - chemistry - hematology - microbiology - immunology - and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience that matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university with 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in biology including one semester in microbiology and 16 semester hours (24 quarter hours) in chemistry - which may be obtained within or in addition to - the bachelor's degree AND Completion of a 50-week U.Military MLT training program (with official certificate verifying completion of training) within the last 10 years AND 1 year full-time clinical laboratory experience within the last 10 years

This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking - chemistry - hematology - microbiology - immunology - and urinalysis/body fluids (or categorical experience that matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory

Research laboratory experience does not fulfill this requirement

Non-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure may be given a temporary appointment CLS under the authority of 38 U.Non-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified CLS at or above the FPL

Non-certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained

Temporary appointments of non-certified CLS may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment Failure to Obtain Certification

At the time of appointment - the Human Resources (HR) Office staff - in collaboration with the supervisor - will provide the employee with the written requirements for certification - including the time by which the certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline

If an employee fails to maintain the required certification - management officials - in collaboration with HR Office staff - must immediately remove the employee from duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation

Grade Determinations: Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-07 Experience.Clinical Laboratory Scientist - GS-09 Experience or Education

Master's degree or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or a directly related science

In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of policies and procedures of clinical laboratory testing

• b) Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance principles
• c) Knowledge of laboratory equipment and routine maintenance
• f) Ability to accurately perform pre-analytical - analytical - and post-analytical phases of testing

Duties This is a part time position - compensation will be prorated based on hours actually worked

Properly collect - handle - accession - and label specimens according to but not limited to safety - patient identification and infection control policies

Instruct Medical Center or CBOC personnel on preliminary procedures in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Users guide

Evaluate the suitability of the specimen for analysis - requesting new specimen if determined to be unusable

Prepare specimens for analysis - ensuring that the physiological state of the specimen properties is maintained

Release routine and emergency use blood and plasma according to standard operating procedures

Monitor and replace temperature charts according to policy

Evaluate and monitor the performance of test procedures using manual and/or automated techniques in accordance with established protocols

Recognize and react to indicators of malfunction

Select - perform - evaluate and monitor the performance of test procedures using manual and/or instrumental techniques in accordance with established protocols

Recognize and react to indicators of malfunction

Conduct quality control procedures on equipment - reagents - and products and maintain proper records for quality control reports

Participate in the quality control program for the Section - assures that appropriate records are maintained by understanding quality assurance principles

Operate a variety of instruments such as electronic cell counter - discrete chemistry analyzer - discrete urinalysis analyzer - centrifuge - microscope and others

Calibrate and perform maintenance on equipment

Verify correct instrument operation using established procedures and quality control checks and monitoring

Difficult repairs or malfunctions are resolved with assistance from the manufacturer of the technical service center

Document calibrations and maintenance performed as required for accreditation

Evaluate the validity of data in relation to the test system and accepted assay procedures

Correlate quantitative data with patient data (i.e. - history - and medications) to verify results

Recognize abnormal results that require immediate attention by the physician and reports them directly

Responsible for the generation of laboratory results from the work area into the laboratory computer system and for the editing and verification of the results recorded into the computer system

Assist in development and maintenance and modification of various computer applications liaison are maintained with technical representatives to correct computer programming and to resolve common problems

Maintain appropriate levels of supplies and reagents for the efficient operation of the assigned section

Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Functional Statement #:70747F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive

Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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