Summary

This Medical Instrument Technician (Diagnostic Ultrasound) position is assigned to Radiology Service within the Ralph H. Johnson VA Healthcare System. The Ultrasound (US) technologist at this level performs routine to complex ultrasound exams/procedures. Incumbent can carry out the assigned tasks independently.

Qualifications

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
• Licensure or Certification
• Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation
• however - it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge - skills - and abilities
• Registration by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) is highly desirable
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable
• English Language Proficiency
• Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2 - section D - paragraph 5a - 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)
• Grandfathering Provision: 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).All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration - may be reassigned - promoted - or demoted within the occupation
• Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration - may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or demoted within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the core competencies defined at the GS-10 full performance level - positions at this grade may be lead - supervisory - or non-supervisory with specialized advanced knowledge and assignments
• You must possess at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-09) - which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled - and must fully meet the KSAs at that level
• This would be specialized experience which demonstrates possession of the knowledge required in order to provide all aspects of diagnostic ultrasonography services
• GS-10 Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities must be clearly demonstrated in your resume: Advanced knowledge of complex and non-standard treatment and examination procedures and techniques
• Ability to plan and assist in the establishment of a completely integrated treatment and examination program
• Ability to evaluate new products and equipment and make recommendations concerning developments which would improve operations
• Preferred Experience: Vascular Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion
• It may require long periods of standing - walking and/or sitting
• It may involve frequent bending - twisting - lifting
• positioning patients
• and carrying - pushing - or pulling moderately heavy objects.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but not limited to: Performs outpatient - inpatient or emergent ultrasound studies either in the Ultrasound department or bedside (portable) - records and processes images and prepares the processed media for interpretation by the Staff Radiologist
• Assures images are properly identified with patient demographics and verifies archiving on PACS
• Performs general ultrasound - renal doppler - hepatic doppler - transplant duplex - mesenteric - TIPS evaluation - AV fistulas - temporal arteries - upper and lower extremities - and other vascular studies (arterial or venous) as deemed by service leadership
• Assists with percutaneous punctures as directed by the Radiologist
• Performs studies localizing fluid-filled areas under ultrasound and employs sterile technique as indicated for punctures and biopsies
• Receives and identifies patients using two (2) patient identifiers - prepares patients for exams and explains procedures - assists movement of patients to and from exam table - positions the patient - sets up and adjusts all imaging equipment including appropriate selection of technical factors - manually maneuvers transducer/probe to perform the exam
• Evaluates the nature of critical and emergency procedures and rearranges priorities to accommodate them
• Differentiates artifacts from normal or pathological processes and recognizes electronic equipment limitations
• Maintains and stocks all supplies used in the ultrasound work area - ensuring applicable products are within expiration date and stored properly
• Reports equipment malfunctions in a timely manner to the supervisor and Biomedical Engineering - and is competent to enter service requests/work orders - as appropriate
• Assures timely/efficient completion of assigned workload
• Reviews new developments in the field and recommends to supervisor those that would improve the operation of the section
• Registered in Sonography by either the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS and/or RVT) or the American Registry of Radiology Technologists in ultrasound - ARRT(S)
• Must maintain BLS
• Work Schedule: 11:00am-7:00pm - Monday-Friday -rotating on call Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 55866F