Summary This position functions as a Health Technician Nail Technician within Central Arkansas Veteran's Healthcare system Surgical Care Department. The technician works under the general supervision of the clinical operations nurse manager in conjunction with the Chief, Podiatry Section, to include direct and indirect support. The nail technician is delegated authority to provide patient care and support to routine cases and for a variety of specialized procedures for the Podiatrists. Responsibilities Prepares podiatric work-up, laboratory or other requests, as required. Performs a variety of specialized clinic procedures such as preliminary examination and evaluation of patients. Performs a variety of standardized and routine procedures that are non-invasive. Prepares aerobic cultures and pathology specimens to send to lab Fits multiple @types of orthoses and measures feet for correct fit or special-order footwear. Performs prep and variety of ankle/foot tapings in treatment for injuries. Assists Podiatrist in a variety of specialized treatments and tests. Sets up instrument trays, finalizes preparation of sterile field, skin prep and preparation of patients. Performs a variety of technical and administrative tasks in support of clinic operations. Ensures proper cleanup and disposal after contaminated procedures. Performs various routine and general clinic administrative functions including ordering and stocking of supply items, medications accountability, ensuring quality control stock rotation. Coordinates communication/correspondent interaction between patient, provider and other medical and non-medical professionals. Work Schedule: 07:30am-4:00pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the agency.) Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Podiatry)/PD04720A 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 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 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 or 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 , 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. 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. In addition to meeting the above Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), applicants must also meet the experience requirements relevant to this position. For this Health Technician-Phlebotomy/Acute Care, GS-06 position: To qualify at the GS-06 grade, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level or higher. Specialized Experience to include, but not limited to: Conducts hands-on experience in clinical settings, assisting with patient assessments, wound care, and minor surgical procedures. Independently manages patients and supplies, while ensuring a clean and organized clinical environment. Experience maintaining accurate medical records and clerical skills in a clinical environment. Utilizes medical terminology SCREEN OUT ELEMENT: Your qualification will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the online questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating: those who are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the job elements. Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Patient Care 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 Demands: Work is both sedentary and mobile. Work may involve frequent bending, stooping, stretching; as well as repositioning patients. Manual dexterity in handling instruments is required. There is some physical effort involving bending, lifting, standing, may be required when carrying supplies, some equipment inventory, materials, and when providing presentations. In the event of a disaster, there are requirements for physical and mental endurance, involving extended hours and physical hardship. The nail technician would be expected to be available in the event of disaster/emergencies as part of the Activation Command. Work Environment: Work is performed in a patient care setting which exposes the employee to moderate risks, foot diseases, and infections, which may require the use of gloves and gowns. The nail technician is required to visit patient care areas to assist staff with environmental or logistical issues and talk with Veterans or family members about their healthcare experiences. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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. The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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/. Receiving Service Credit for 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. 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.
