Health Technician

Summary

The incumbent provides continuous cardiac surveillance, interpretation and reporting of monitor and telemetry tracing of patients within Patient Care Services. The incumbent is expected to recognize changes in patient's condition and astute in assessing the need for intervention which may be of an emergent nature requiring immediate attention. The incumbent in this position will provide assistance to the Nursing Staff to assure coordinated and efficient delivery of patient care services.

Duties

The duties of the Health Technician include, but is not limited to: Performs continuous monitoring and analysis of cardiac rate, rhythm, and patterns of conduction on telemetry patients through the use of approved telemetry monitoring system. Detects abnormal or changing rate, rhythm, or pattern of conduction directly from oscilloscopic rhythm display, from computer triggered alarms, or from EKG records on computer memory. Monitor for non-invasive blood pressure and continuous pulse oximetry (SP02) alarm events. Promptly validates/invalidates alarm conditions. Establishes and maintains morphologically suitable and noise free EKG signal. Detects need for lead changes by observing accuracy of computer diagnosis and noting clarity of EKG signal at console oscilloscope. Preserves an analyzed six second strip every 8 hours and as needed for rhythm changes. Labels rhythm strip with the patient's name, lead, PR ORS and QT intervals and rhythm interpretation. Monitor patients in lead II or MCL unless specified. Notifies appropriate personnel of minor/major/life threatening cardiac rhythm disturbance. Sets alarm limits per policy. Admit/discharge patient in computer arrhythmia system. Documents, on admission to telemetry, an analyzed baseline rhythm strip. Marks monitors with patient's location when they are temporarily taken off the monitor (i.e. medical procedures). Gives verbal reports to nursing staff regarding patient EKG rhythm. Completes hand-off communication to oncoming MT. Runs a continuous strip on telemetry patients during emergency situation. Keeps an accurate log of all cardiac arrhythmias on the notification sheet. Prints summary every 4 hours on patients recorded on notification sheet. Ensures high quality information and visual display of patient's tracing. Promptly reports interference to RN. Reports inoperable equipment to the Nurse Manager/designee and Biomedical Assists RN with all phases of patient care tasks by performing or assisting with body and oral hygiene, skin care including hair, dressing, elimination and shaving based on established procedures, vital signs, weights, intake and output, bladder scans, draw labs and obtain blood cultures collect routine urine, stool and sputum specimens, changing linen on occupied and unoccupied bed, feeding patients, recording intake for calorie counts, assists with transfer and ambulation of patients, turns and properly positions patients, assisting with incentive spirometer, cough and deep breathing exercises, applying leads and connecting to ECG monitor, performing 12 lead EKGs, post-mortem care, perform venipuncture and glucometer testing and reports to RN. Work Schedule: Monday- Sunday; 7:30 pm-8:00 am, including rotating weekends and holidays. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD84273A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 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 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, 10/26/2026. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assisting nursing staff with patient care, observing patients, and promptly reporting changes or concerns. Using basic patient care equipment and maintaining supplies and an organized care environment. Organizing assigned duties, prioritizing tasks, and working with appropriate independence within the assigned role. Communicating effectively with patients, families, nursing staff, and other members of the healthcare team. Compiles telemetry equipment, including transmitters, central monitoring station, running strips, validating and invalidating alarms, setting alarms, printers, troubleshooting. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Physical Demands: This position requires considerable walking, bending, standing, lifting, and handling of equipment and supplies. Requires dexterity in performing technical procedures. Proper body mechanics will be utilized at all times. The work involves long periods of moving about the unit. The work requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, lifting and repositioning patients or similar activities. The telemetry technician will be required to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally and up to 35 pounds frequently. The telemetry technician is expected to utilize provided lifting/assisting equipment for safety of the veteran and staff for all lifts/assists performed. The telemetry technician must be able to transport and transfer patients (e.g. stretcher to wheelchair, bed to stretcher, wheelchair to bed, etc.) safely. The telemetry technician will be required to handle equipment and must be knowledgeable of and able to use safe lifting techniques. The use of correct body mechanics is required. The telemetry technician should also have the ability to identify the potential for safety hazards. Work Environment. Work is performed on a patient care area where there is regular and recurring exposure to infectious and contagious diseases through frequent contact with blood and body secretions. Exposure to odors and other risks, as well as other diseases will require special health and safety precautions such as wearing protective clothing, gloves, masks or face shields. Flexibility and caution in the performance of duties is required. Due to the nature of the position, periodic testing for hepatitis is required.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. How You Will Be Evaluated

Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the order in which applicants are received. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. Other Information

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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.