Summary This position is located in Voluntary Services at VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. This position involves public contact and is expected to manage and coordinate assignments in the In Hospital Patient Transportation Office and provide clerical assistance as needed within Voluntary Service. Incumbent must be able to communicate with staff and patients both orally and in writing in order to clearly answer questions, and solve problems while maintaining a professional, pleasant demeanor. Responsibilities Some of the duties associated with this task include, but are not limited to the following: Answering and directing phone calls. Maintaining files and records. Carefully observes and monitors patients who are on IV's or oxygen and reports it to the registered nurse at destination. Recognizes emergency situations (i.e., codes, disasters, fire and safety issues) and takes appropriate and immediate action. Can successfully perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use the Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Provides escort assistance to outpatients arriving at the medical center for treatment. Transport deceased veterans from wards/units to the morgue. Plans and coordinates activities dealing with safe transportation of patients. Provides timely direction regarding proper methods of patient transports for our adult and geriatric patients to and from units, clinics, and facilities within the medical center and the local community for treatment if a licensed practical nurse (LPN) is not required. Keep in touch with the status and progress of work, and make day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities, obtaining assistance from the supervisor on problems that may arise. Demonstrates a courteous, caring, and respectful manner in all interactions. Interacts appropriately with adult and geriatric patients. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD13882A Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, however on occasion the work requires the ability to bend, stoop, kneel and crouch up to two hours daily. The ability to reach at and above shoulder. Required to utilize mechanical lifting devices whenever lifting, pushing, pulling or repositioning exceeds 45 lbs. Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects weighing up to 45 Lbs. Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. This Health Aid and Technician Series, 0640, has individual occupational requirements, as described below: Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): 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. Or, Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. In addition to the above IOR, candidates must also meet the below grade requirements: GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Computer use involving light typing, looking up patient appointment information, assisting veteran in contacting Centralized Scheduling for canceling and rescheduling appointments. Update brochures, maps. Keep information desks and wheelchairs and courtesy carts clean and organized. Knowledge and skills sufficient to observe, monitor, report, and record patient conditions and changes in condition. Basic knowledge and skills sufficient to gather and provide information on disease processes and treatment procedures. Ability to explain this information to patients/significant others during transportation. Knowledge of the established customer service goals, mission, philosophy, and values of the center and the service. Ability to interact effectively, skillfully, tactfully, and appropriately with all levels of center staff, visitors, patients, students, volunteers, etc. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level. You must have successfully completed full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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. 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. 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. Additional 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 (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. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. 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 well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. The first year of service of an employee who is given a career or career-conditional appointment in the competitive service under the Civil Service Regulations is a probationary period unless specifically exempted by the appointment authority.
