Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography)

Summary

The incumbent, under the supervision of the Section Chief / Supervisor(s), Respiratory Care and Diagnostics Services and coordination of the Program Leader, The Sleep Laboratory, displays proficiency and performs at a level of excellence in all Sleep Diagnostic diagnostics and procedures as well as other related therapies in accordance with the guidelines established by the American Sleep Disorders Association, American Academy of Sleep Disorders and policies and procedures of Tampa VA Hospital.

Duties

Duties for the GS8 position: Duties may include, but not limited to: - Patient instruction and education - Patient assessment related to sleep disorders - Patient setup, calibration and acquisition performance verification - Monitoring of multiple physiological data throughout the test - Troubleshooting of polysomnographic recording equipment - Perform pre and post-test calibrations - Identify and treat sleep related breathing disorders - Recognize the need for medical intervention if patient safety is at risk - Remove, and sterilize electrodes and sensors at completion of study - The staging of the sleep studies - Document all data in CPRS including for scoring - The Scoring of Sleep Studies - Independently evaluate sleep related breathing disorders patients, and titrate pressures, download data, review compliance and fit patients with appropriate interface devices to achieve the physicians therapeutic goals. - Portable Home Sleep Monitor to include; assessment, education, equipment setup and downloading patient data. - Providing TeleHealth services for (CPAP/Home sleep) **This is not a virtual position Telehealth service are provided on site. This represents the full performance level. At this level Polysomnographic Technicians are able to interact fully with the patient and physician to diagnose sleep disorders including those that are uncommon or rare. They are able to conduct full sleep studies including overnight studies and evaluate the relationship of events, sleep stages, and possible medical conditions which influence or result from events occurring during sleep. They anticipate problems likely to occur during the sleep study and prepare for such situations, make changes in established procedures, or recommend alternative courses of action. They are able to mentor lower graded technicians. The applicant must be reliable, able to work independently and be self-motivated. The Polysomnographer is responsible for performing job duties in accordance with Mission, Vision and Values of James A Haley Veterans' Hospital Work Schedule: After orientation period, a compressed schedule may be available depending on the service's needs (20:00-0630, 0530-16:00) or approved compressed schedule, weekdays and weekends. Tours of Duty are subject to change as needed to meet the needs of the service. Functional Statement #: 70509F Requirements

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. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications

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. English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, in the VA handbook 5005 GS-0649, Grade Determinations: Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography) GS-8 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided a knowledge of the more complex procedures as well as knowledge of the uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge or the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form. Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stage, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action. Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians. *Certification. No certification or registration is required. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable for employees at this level. Assignment. This represents the full performance level. At this level Polysomnographic Technicians are able to interact fully with the patient and physician to diagnose sleep disorders including those that are uncommon or rare. They are able to conduct full sleep studies including overnight studies and evaluate the relationship of events, sleep stages, and possible medical conditions which influence or result from events occurring during sleep. They anticipate problems likely to occur during the sleep study and prepare for such situations, make changes in established procedures, or recommend alternative courses of action. They are able to mentor lower graded technicians. Preferred Experience: The incumbent must display proficiency and perform at a level of excellence in all Sleep Diagnostic procedures and polysomnographic studies in the sleep laboratory including routine polysomnogram, PAP titration studies including CPAP, Bi-level, ASV and HNS technologies. Must be proficient in education of patients and family members as well as following all technical and hospital, federal and state regulations as well as following recommendations of the AASM, JCAHO, BRPT, and the AAST. The incumbent must have a high-level understanding of high and low filters, sensitivity, gain, AC/DC filters and inputs, bio-calibrations, machine calibrations, and needs high level understanding of instrumentation and electrical safety. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-6 to GS-8 Physical Requirements: Work is primarily performed in all patient care areas (in-patient and outpatient). All Polysomnographers will have extensive interaction with patients, staff, physicians, family members, and visitors. The Respiratory Therapist is expected to be able to move lift, bend, and stoop while performing duties with equipment, supplies, and patients. Ability to handle varying levels of stress in a positive manner. All Medical Instrument Technician must be able to perform the following physical requirements: - Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over - Heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over - Pushing - Reaching above shoulder - Use of fingers/ Both hands required - Walking/ Standing /Kneeling - Repeated bending - Climbing, legs only Both legs required - Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously - Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4 - Both eyes required - Ability to distinguish basic colors - Hearing without aid

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. 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. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other Information

Receiving Service Credit or 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. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.