Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - RME Coordinator

Description:

The Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) Coordinator plans, organizes, directs and coordinates all activities associated with a comprehensive total reusable medical equipment support operation at the New Mexico VA Health Care System; this includes the oversight and coordination of standard operating procedures (SOP), provided recommendations and assistance to staff members and speaks for senior management in many instances.

Requirements:

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 :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

1. Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or
2. Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or
3. Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

• Certification. None.
• Grandfathering Provision. All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. Please note, that this position is above the full performance level.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U. S. programs.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.

GRADE REQUIREMENTS

Creditable Experience

1. Knowledge of Current MST Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with MST responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MST.
2. Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MST experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty).
3. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MST is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MST employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Grade Determinations
The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-07 Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - RME Coordinator.
Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-07 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6).

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Ability to interact with individuals of varying backgrounds in order to assess the needs of the department.
2. Ability to coordinate work in order to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion.
3. Ability to interpret and apply sterile processing/infection prevention regulations and policies.
4. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment.
5. Ability to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in carrying out sterile processing functions.

Preferred Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Detailed knowledge of complex surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. Ability to assemble specialty operating room and clinic instrument sets. In-depth knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing in order to convey information and thoughts to others. Ability to coordinate work in order to complete duties in an accurate and timely fashion. Ability to interpret and apply sterile processing/infection prevention regulations and policies. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment. Ability to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in carrying out sterile processing functions. Ability to educate hospital staff, including the executive level, on all new equipment to ensure compliance is met as it relates to Reusable Medical Devices (RMD).

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.