Summary This position is located in the Nursing Department of the James J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. Health Technician serves as an advanced technician performing ongoing patient care duties in an inpatient and/or outpatient care settings such as; primary care, surgery, mental health, and specialty clinics. The incumbent may serve in a medical center, community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC), and mobile medical unit. Responsibilities These tasks are not all inclusive and require the demonstration of appropriate training. The incumbent 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 conditions that may impact the patient's health status. The incumbent will complete approved templates and tools, such as the outpatient intake form, normal result notes, and follow up treatment protocols established by the agency. Mental Health Services: The incumbent assists in behavioral/psychiatric situations in an outpatient setting. This can include assisting licensed personnel with crisis intervention, management of aggressive or suicidal psychiatric patients, by providing one-to-one observations and applying prevention and management of disruptive behavior techniques (PMDB).The incumbent performs duties that focus on communication techniques required to complete the questioners and templates approved to be used in any outpatient clinical setting, including active listening, restating, and mirroring. The incumbent will maintain a safe and therapeutic environment for the patient while promoting a sense of worth and dignity under the supervision of the licensed personnel. Clinical Tasks: The incumbent assists outpatient licensed staff with the delivery of care to patients with complex, specialized, and potentially life-threatening situations. The incumbent assists licensed staff with preparing patients for medical evaluation, setting up equipment, passing instruments and providing treatment during in-person or virtual visits. Performs venipuncture according to written protocols to ensure proper collection, labeling, handling and delivery of blood specimens to the lab. Uses aseptic technique to obtain blood cultures and performing EKGs. Observes and monitors 1:1 situation while maintaining a safe environment and observing universal precautions. Cares for patients in isolation utilizing appropriate PPE. Transports patients to required destinations (including the morgue). Administrative Responsibilities: The incumbent performs all medical clerical operations related to the practice, including, Registration, Encounter forms, ICB, RTC and Means Test. Completes work orders; sets clinic up for next day; retrieves medical profiles and laboratory results as needed. The incumbent possess the scheduling option in VSE, CTM, and VISTA. The incumbent uses the scheduling options to schedule outpatient clinic appointments or uses the scheduling option for an administrative function (close encounters; no-shows). When scheduling clinic appointments, the incumbent uses established business rules to schedule appointments for veterans. This includes clinic visits and/or consultations and recall reminders. Incumbent complies with the mandatory training requirements for the outpatient scheduling process. The incumbent complies with the business rules for monitoring and clean-up of delinquent recall reminder list. The incumbent ensures accurate and timely entry of recall reminders and conducts timely outreach to veterans. If timely scheduling cannot be accomplished, the Supervisor is informed. Other duties: Conducts or assists with the training of personnel in if appropriately trained, certified and/or qualified, for example: facility formal preceptors and Telehealth Presenter (TCT) instructors. Can conduct or assist with stand-downs, community health programs, health-care screenings, and immunizations. May be a member of hospital-wide committees to enhance care for Veterans. Performs other duties as assigned. NOTE: This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed above represent the full performance level of GS-07. At the GS-06 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-07. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level (GS-07) without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level (GS-06) does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm or 8:30am - 5:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD21Z86A and PD24343A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 involves extended periods of bending, standing and walking. Generally, the work requires recurring physical exertion with assisting patients. A pre-placement physical examination is 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 dentification 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, 10/20/2025. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Minimum Qualifications GS-06: Specialized Experience: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-05) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. 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. Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: performs ongoing patient care duties in an inpatient and/or outpatient clinical setting preparing a variety of technical (clinical) and administrative tasks in support of clinic operations, to include provide extensive ancillary/diagnostic support services to primary care providers such as the completion of vital signs including pain assessments, completion of clinical reminders, obtaining preliminary medical history, providing order entry for provider's signature, input of electronic progress notes at time of care, exit interview input, appointment scheduling, consultation/completion status input, arranges for hospital admission, reports tests results to clinician, provides educational instruction for patients/family. NOTE: Such experience MUST be well represented in resume. Failure to do so will results in a Non-Qualification Determination. Minimum Qualifications GS-07: Specialized Experience: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-06) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. 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. Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: performs ongoing patient care duties in an inpatient and/or outpatient clinical setting preparing a variety of technical (clinical) and administrative tasks in support of clinic operations, to include ordering and maintaining supplies for unit, transporting specimens and reusable medical equipment to specified location, stocking supplies in exam rooms, maintaining various unit logs and other related clerical duties associated with patient care and treatment, providing ongoing monitoring of vital signs, performing testing for blood glucose monitoring, arranging and passing medical instruments and materials to medical/nursing professional for a variety of tests and procedures. NOTE: Such experience MUST be well represented in resume. Failure to do so will results in a Non-Qualification Determination. ~OR~ Education: Must have successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education directly related to the position with a major that included courses directly related to the work of this position. Such graduate education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. NOTE: Copies of transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. (Unofficial transcript accepted) One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. 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/. 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. 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 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. 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/.
