Career Center

Summary

The Medical Instrument Technician - Echocardiography will independently perform routine and complex transthoracic echocardiographic services. The incumbent will perform routine and complex transthoracic echocardiograms - stress echocardiograms - and contract echocardiograms. They will assist physicians with transesophageal echocardiogram and other procedures requiring echocardiography. Recruitment/Relocation incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate.

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:

• Citizenship
• Citizenship of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g - this part.) Education
• There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation
• Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels
• See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions
• 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
• For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments - specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations"
• For all specialties identified in this standard - Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable
• Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition
• 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)
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• 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
• GRADE REQUIREMENTS GS-09: Definitions: For purposes of this qualification standard the specialty areas of this occupation have been into functional areas
• Echocardiography is one of these areas: Echocardiography Technicians operate diagnostic equipment to graphically record the position and motion of the heart walls or the internal structure of the heart and neighboring tissue by the echo obtained from beams of ultrasonic waves directed through the chest wall
• Registration is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) - as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS)
• GS-9. In addition to the core competencies defined at the GS-8 full performance level - positions at this grade may be lead - supervisory - or non-supervisory with specialized advanced knowledge and assignments
• Experience
• At least 1 year experience comparable to the next lower grade level - 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 experience which demonstrates possession of the knowledge required in order to provide all aspects of echocardiography services
• Echocardiography technicians at the GS-08 level identify and record anomalies indicative of disease - injury - or other medically significant condition from ultrasound imaging and simultaneous recordings of the Doppler
• They incorporate the causes and results of a variety of symptoms and conditions into a plan of ultrasonic diagnostic examination
• They change and develop sounding techniques to accommodate such variables as limited patient mobility - variation in physical condition or dimension of the patient - presence of prosthesis or foreign objects - and ultrasonic response of different body parts
• They produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency recordings using M-mode - two-dimensional - and Doppler ultrasound
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• 1
• Knowledge of the more complex examination and treatment procedures and techniques in order to provide training and supervision in these procedures - to evaluate and initiate performance improvement projects - and to write policies - procedures - and protocols - that pertain to Echocardiography
• 2
• * Knowledge of JCAHO and other regulatory requirements
• 3
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels
• Certification
• Registration by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) is highly desirable
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable
• Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level of GS-08 - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity (difficulty) - and range of variety - and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Preferred Experience: Ability to perform good quality transthoracic echocardiograms using 2D
• M-mode - PW doppler - CW doppler and color doppler imaging
• Ability to perform transthoracic echocardiograms from multiple windows - including parasternal - apical - subcostal - and suprasternal windows
• Ability to recognize abnormal cardiovascular findings and adapt transducer position - instrument controls - and examination techniques to the individual patient and indication
• Previous exposure to 3D echocardiography and strain and strain-rate imaging is desirable
• References: VA Qualification Standard - 5005 Part II - Appendix G27 - Medical Instrument Technician GS-0649 - Veterans Health Administration Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary
• Some work may require movement between offices - hospitals - warehouses - and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work
• Work may also require walking/standing - in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site
• Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Echocardiography technicians at this level identify and record routine and complex anomalies indicative of disease - injury - or other medically-significant conditions through ultrasound imaging and recordings of Doppler
• They incorporate patient symptoms and conditions to develop a comprehensive diagnostic examination - consisting of two-dimensional - doppler - and M-mode ultrasound
• They change studies to accommodate such variables as limited patient mobility - variation in physical condition or dimension of the patient - presence of prosthesis or foreign objects - and ultrasonic response of different body parts
• They obtain measurements of cardiac structures and doppler flow signals and calculate parameters such as ejection fraction - valve area - left atrial volume index - cardiac output - diastolic filling parameters - RVSP - and other variables on a comprehensive basis
• They also perform advanced measurements and calculations as needed by the interpreting physician for a more complete echocardiographic study
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:00am - 3:30pm - 7:30am - 4:00pm - or 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 0000/Medical Instrument Technician - Echocardiography Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for highly qualified candidate Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases - When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay - higher or unique qualifications - or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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)