Medical Supply Technicians provide sterilization activities, preparation, supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support to the medical center. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. b. Experience and/or Education (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or (2) 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 (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. c. Certification. None. d. English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part. 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 REQUIREMENTS: GS-06 (Full Performance Level)Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Specialized experience is defined as: 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 preprocessor; and prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. 3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures. 4. Knowledge of sterility principles in regard to instrumentation. 5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures. Preferred Experience: N/A References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/83, PART II APPENDIX G47 The full performance level of this vacancy is GA-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is gs-6 Physical Requirements: This work is performed is various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing and walking, pushing carts that weigh several hundred pounds. Much of the work is performed in tiring positions such as standing, stooping, kneeling, etc. The incumbent may use a pallet jack as well as carts of varying sizes and weights. The incumbent is tasked regularly with lifting packages weighing up to 50 pounds. The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly, and assembly of instrumentation. On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidently touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions, and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts, and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment. ["This position is located in the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) with Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Nashville, TN. The incumbent rotates assignments among various sterilization processing, decontamination, basic and complex surgical tray assembly, and reusable inventory, medical equipment processing and quality assurance functions. The incumbent may be required to work day's evenings, nights, weekends, and/or holidays. Major Duties: Responsible for the decontamination, sterilization, and packaging of reusable medical supplies, instruments, and apparatus Solely responsible for the collection, receipt, inspection and decontamination processing of soiled supplies, instruments, equipment, and medical apparatus Performs high-level disinfection Validates all disinfection of instrumentation and RME in service by following manufacture guidelines, SOP's, Quick references, OneSource, and sterilization standards Accomplishes the inspection, assembly, packaging, and terminal sterilization of all trays, sets, and packs for use throughout the medical center Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME, some non-critical RME, in the decontamination area Assembles minor and complex tray sets and instrumentation packs used for a variety of general and specialized medical and surgical procedures Working as team member with other Medical Supply Technicians of various experience to carry out the daily work utilizing the written standard operating procedures and/or manufactures written instructions in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training, or accepted/standard practices Work Schedule: Full-time; Various Shifts Compressed/Flexible: not available Telework: not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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