Summary The Health Aid - Transporter is located at John Cochran Division of VA Saint Louis Health Care System. This position provides support to patients, and their families, staff, and visitors. Transporters are responsible for transporting patients to various areas within the medical center. They perform a wide range of support functions, which includes being able to accurately identify patients according to national standards and knowledge of proper positioning of the patient. Responsibilities The Health Aid - Transporter position is located at John Cochran or Jefferson Barracks campus of the VA Saint Louis Health Care System. This position provides support to patients, and their families, staff, and visitors. Transporters are responsible for transporting patients to various areas within the medical center. The Health Aid delivers and logs-in specimens, assisting the nursing staff by retrieving supplies or other materials such as oxygen tanks. They perform a wide range of support functions which includes knowledge of proper positioning of the patient to prevent ulcers, to support their intravenous lines, urinary drainage bags and other devices during transport. The Health Aid is responsible for observing and reporting any sudden variations/changes in patient's condition, such as acute changes in mental status, during transport. They work closely with the nursing staff to ensure safe patient handling and transport: in and out of wheelchairs, stretchers or beds and assisting patients getting in and out of various vehicles for appointments and discharges from the hospital. The Health Aid demonstrates a working knowledge of body mechanics, use of mechanical and powered-lifting aids, and devices to help facilitate safe patient movement. They respond to all Code Ks, rapid responses, and Code Orange calls within the medical center and serves as a runner. The Health Aid retrieves dirty non-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) from wards and specialty care areas. They are responsible for the physical removal of foreign material, e.g. dust, oil, and organic materials, such as blood, secretions, excretions and micro-organisms. The Health Aid cleans and decontaminates RME according to established procedures. The Health Aid visually examines inspection labels to ensure compliance with scheduled maintenance checks, and examines equipment for damage, deterioration or imperfections such as rust, pitting and cracks. They send damaged or outdated equipment for maintenance or to be repaired and/or replaced. The Health Aid actively participates in the section's in-service education and the quality assurance programs. Duties include, but are not limited to: Identifies patient identity using approved methods (wristband, social security number, veterans' name, etc). Verifies the appropriate labeling on lab specimens prior to transport. Retrieves supplies and equipment as needed from supply rooms or other locations to facilitate patient care. Positions and repositions patients to prevent the development of pressure ulcers. Facilitates the proper function of appliances (IV's, urinary drainage bags, etc.) during and after transfers to chairs, gurneys, etc. Monitors patient condition for changes in physical and mental status and reports changes to the nurse. Demonstrates proper body mechanisms when lifting and moving patients to prevent injury to themselves and patients. Performs patient movements utilizing lifting/ moving patients to prevent injury to themselves and patients. Responds to emergency situations to provide support to staff, and function as a runner. Facilitates patient discharge and admission by assisting patients to and from various vehicles and other conveyances. Monitors environment for unsafe conditions and reports to their supervisor. Cleans non critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) and other equipment as needed to ensure availability for patient care. Work Schedule: Full Time, Varied tours: Weekdays/Weekends/Days/Evenings/Nights/Holidays, 10 8-hr shifts per pay period. Schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the healthcare system. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Aid - Transporter/PD10421A 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: Work requires the physical capability to remain standing for long periods of time and the physical strength and visual acuity to operate and control the equipment used. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday, frequent bending and lifting of heavy equipment and patients, and pushing transport equipment around patients, staff and visitors, and over slight rises such as door sills. A physical exam is not 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 identification 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, 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, 08/24/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: General Experience: Applicants are required to possess 6 months of General Experience. General Experience is (1) any @type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed l year of full-time study above high school that included study in medical, health, or related fields. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. Training: Completion of appropriate training such as in-service training programs, training acquired while serving in the Armed Forces, and government-sponsored developmental training programs will be allowed credit on a month-for-month basis. Completion of an intensive, specialized course of study of less than l year may meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. Courses of this @type normally require completion of up to 40 hours per week of instruction rather than the usual 20 hours per week, and are usually of at least 3 months duration. Such courses may have been obtained through a variety of programs such as those offered by technical schools and military training programs. To be creditable, such a course must have been designed specifically as career preparation for the work of the position being filled, and must have provided the applicant with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work. OR Combining Experience and Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education or training and experience are qualifying. 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. 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 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. 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/.
