Career Center

Summary

The full performance - Emergency Department (ED) Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs - Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This position serves as an advanced technician for the ED for patients who are present for treatment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. This occupation has Individual Occupational Requirements: Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists - speech pathologists - medical officers - and optometrists. Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled. In addition to the time in grade requirements and the Individual Occupational Requirements listed above - the below qualification requirements must be meet: Grade Determination for ICT GS-0640-07 You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade - GS-06 - in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel. Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled. Your resume must clearly reflect one year of experience. Specialized experience would include - but not limited to: Practical knowledge of the major body systems - i.e. - skeletal - muscular - nervous - respiratory - circulatory - digestive and genitourinary - to perform patient examination and to provide prompt and efficient patient care and appropriate patient handling. Working knowledge of topographic anatomy - e.g. - right/left - surface - proximal/distal - superior - inferior - to accurately transmit location information about the body. Working knowledge of diagnostic signs - e.g. - pulse - respiration - blood pressure - temperature - skin - color - pupils of the eyes - state of consciousness - ability to move on command - reaction to pain - etc. - to perform patient evaluation - to provide patient care - and to ensure appropriate patient handling. Knowledge of medications(their uses - doses - side effects - adverse effects and toxicity signs sufficient to properly administer drugs even when directed to do so by the licensed staff. Skill in communication techniques and the operation of communications equipment to be able to accurately obtain and relay information to and from health care providers. Possesses a broad knowledge of equipment and supplies to adequately anticipate the demands of providers in multiple sub-specialties. Demonstrates knowledge of isolation techniques and universal precautions. Knowledge of major psychiatric conditions - depressive - anxiety - bipolar and substance use disorders - schizophrenia - and suicide risk assessment and warning signs. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate education that is directly related to the work of this position. Transcripts must be provided if using education to qualify for this position and grade. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:Clinical Data Collection/Documentation - Emergency Care - and Technical Competence 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. Note: 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires a level of physical fitness that allows for standing for extended periods - heavy lifting to position patients - and manual dexterity to perform clinical procedures. The work will require recurrent bending - lifting - stooping - standing - squatting - stretching - sitting and walking. 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/.

Duties

• Incumbent performs ongoing patient care duties in the ED
• ICTs may perform tasks as outlined in this PD and in accordance with local policies after documented completion of training and demonstration of appropriate skills and competency
• These tasks are not all inclusive and require the demonstration of appropriate training and documented competence prior to their performance
• May assist with or perform other related approved technical health care procedures under the direction and supervision of the licensed personnel as competency is demonstrated and documented
• Performs observation-based screening and collection of patient information in collaboration with the KIP and / or RN
• Assists LIPs with the delivery of care to patients with complex - specialized - and potentially life-threatening situations
• Operates specialized medical equipment and assists in preparing patient for exam and screenings
• Performs observation-based screening and collecting of patient information in collaboration with licensed personnel involving completing clinical reminders - obtaining patient health history - chief complaints - medication history - and identification of health-related conditions that may impact the patient's health status
• Participates in the triage process by assisting with patient transport - obtaining vital signs - performing screens - gathering pertinent health history - medication history - and chief complete to communicate findings to appropriate clinical staff
• Administers medications by intramuscular - oral - topical - eye drops - ear drops - intranasal - rectal suppositories - local anesthetics - nebulized medications - subcutaneous - and intradermal with national and local directives and policies
• Thoroughly and appropriately documents actions - interventions and procedure in the medical record
• Performs specimen collection and preparation of lab specimens obtained from patients and transfers to the lab for processing
• Assists LIPs and/ or RN with equipment and surgical instrumentation set up for patient procedures
• Provides patient education within scope of care or while providing an intervention such as post-procedural care - splint care and wound care
• Provides Geriatric-specific care such as screening for depression - elder abuse - consults - phone follow-up - in-person follow-up and assisting with ambulation - fall prevention according to the national and local directives policies
• Other duties: Conducts or assists with the training of personnel in CPR - and advanced emergency medical care techniques if appropriately trained - certified and/or qualified - for example: facility formal preceptors and BLS instructors
• Can conduct or assist with stand-downs - community health programs - healthcare screenings - and immunizations
• May be members of hospital-wide committees to enhance emergency care for Veterans
• Work Schedule: Full-Time Days/Nights 12 hours with rotation to other shifts as needed
• Position Description Title/PD#: Intermediate Care Technician PDS0031A