Surgical Technician

Duties The ST must possess knowledge of a wide variety of complex surgical procedures and possible complications in order to prepare for the procedure, to anticipate the needs of the surgical team, to respond with speed and accuracy, and to report observations and immediate procedural needs to the RN circulator.
The incumbent must have a thorough knowledge of all appropriate names, uses, physical characteristics function, and processing procedures for the full range of surgical supplies and equipment.
The ST must be familiar with dosages and proper use of all medications administered from the sterile field.
Major duties consist of the following: Sets up the sterile field with all required items for each procedure, such as robotic equipment, air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room supplies and equipment.
Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and ensures that all supplies and equipment are available before the surgical procedure.
Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical set-ups.
Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining mental focus for extended periods.
Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
Assists the team members with the care of the veteran, i.
e.
, positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies.
Handles all specimens appropriately.
In conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse (RN), performs soft goods, sharps, and instrument counts to prevent retention of surgical items and verify accuracy.
Responsible for the accountability of all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedure.
Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, and cutting sutures.
Prepares prostheses and surgical devices during operations and calibrates instruments/equipment in the sterile field.
Assists in training residents, medical students, nursing students, operating room technology students, and new Operating Room (OR) staff in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and OR procedures, including the scrub role in surgical procedures.
Functions as a runner for complex surgical procedures under the direct supervision of an RN.
Assists circulating nurse with veteran care during each phase of perioperative interventions, such as gathering equipment and supplies, opening sterile items, setting up the surgical field, veteran transferring and positioning, providing comfort measures, monitoring and maintaining sterility pre- and intra-operatively, staying inside the OR from the time of sterile field set-up to the time of veteran transfer out of the OR to ensure the integrity of the sterile environment, and participating in veteran care activities related to induction of and emerging from anesthesia.
Functions as laser technician (operator) within the operating room environment monitoring compliance with the organization's policy and procedures, supervising usage and safety, documenting treatment parameters, and reporting any adverse outcomes to Nurse Manager and Laser Safety Officer.
Maintains Equipment and Work Areas Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions.
Maintains OR area.
Assesses equipment needs and maintains an adequate stock of supplies and materials.
Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (e.
g.
, frayed cords and water on the floor) and takes corrective action.
Collaborates with engineering and biomedical services, promoting the use and maintenance of VA property safely that preserves the equipment.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Rotational Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD60069A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required 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 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/15/2024.
Individual Occupational Requirements Specialized Experience: 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.
GS-07 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-6 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, but is not limited to: applying aseptic technique in a sterile surgical field; preparing instrumentation, equipment, and supplies in advance of surgical procedures; scrubbing for surgical procedures; preparing operating room suites for procedures; knowledge of human body structure and function; anticipating the needs of the surgeon; assisting with minor surgical procedures; maintaining inventories of medical instruments, supplies, and equipment; and sterilizing instruments OR, Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level.
Applicants may substitute graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position.
One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7.
Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
OR, Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-07 level.
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-07.
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.
Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of who are at stages of unconsciousness.
There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon.
The ST must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon.
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: https://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.
Additional information 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 to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
Benefits A career with the U.
S.
government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.
WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Benefits A career with the U.
S.
government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits.
Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee.
You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) Other (1) PCS Orders Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Documents Required: Resume Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
You will not be contacted for additional information.
Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online.
Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/09/2024 to receive consideration.
To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.
usastaffing.
gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12299588.
1.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.
usajobs.
gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position.
The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement.
You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Agency contact information Sharkita Thompson Phone 6158738845 Email Sharkita.
Thompson@va.
gov Address James H Quillen VA Medical Center Corner of Lamont Street and Veterans Way Mountain Home, TN 37684 US Next steps After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.
After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
Fair and Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent.
Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Reasonable accommodation policy Financial suitability Selective Service New employee probationary period Signature and false statements Privacy Act Social security number request Required Documents Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) Other (1) PCS Orders Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Documents Required: Resume Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
You will not be contacted for additional information.
Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online.
Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Help This job is open to The public U.
S.
Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.
S.
Clarification from the agency ALL US CITIZENS.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.
201) for this occupation.