This position is located in the Inpatient Specimen Acquisition section of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Michael E DeBakey VA Medical Center.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/13/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-5 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-4. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:Performing blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer system, syringe, butterfly, or capillary finger sticks with minimal number of failures, patient bruising or required repeat collection; Ensuring samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with least possible delay; Label all blood tubes, instructs patients on proper specimen collection procedures; Process for correctly identifying patient information according to regulatory agencies; Performs all types of specimen collection in a courteous manner while providing for patient comfort. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. (Transcripts required) OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. A combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year or 60 semester hours) AND specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements at the GS-5 level. (Transcripts required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clinical Data Collection/Documentation Communications Compliance Inspection Computer Skills Diagnostic Medical Testing 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 Requirements: The work requires extensive and recurring physical exertion such as standing for long periods of time, bending, lifting, walking, stooping and stretching. The work requires manual dexterity and a large degree of concentration. 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/.
Responsible for receiving and processing samples into the Laboratory; and ensuring samples have the correct UID (Universal Identification) accession number label as appropriate and that label is placed so bar codes are instrument ready. Receive, routes and stores specimens noting labeling, contamination, hemolysis, shortage or errors in sampling, recognizing common environmental or other considerations that could affect the results. Maintains Laboratory Records: records information pertaining to blood draws, unacceptable specimens, receiving or accessioning of specimens, reagents, Lab procedures, related documents and completes appropriate tracking/inventory system information. Responsible for following all agency Fire and Safety, OSHA, Blood-Borne Pathogens policies; wears appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); follows Information Security, Path and Laboratory Medicine Service Policies and Procedures (Collection of Specimen, Accessioning Procedures and etc.). Responsible for correctly identifying patients using at least two valid, acceptable patient identifiers as required by regulatory agencies, while maintaining patient confidentiality (HIPPA). Labeling each and every tube as required and instructed with all necessary identifiers and information in the presence of the patient before proceeding. Requires direct patient contact and must treat all patients with the utmost courtesy and respect; while providing professional customer service. Responsible for correctly routing of clinical samples to Laboratory sections, informing other staff of sample urgency as necessary. Perform computer search for past and future lab test orders for all patients presenting to the outpatient's Blood Lab to assure all appropriate testing is done. Ability to add, delete and cancel tests from existing orders as necessary and according to policy. Performs manual procedures as required during computer down time. Must meet competency levels and training for phlebotomy tasks/ procedures in order to perform duties and tasks. Knowledge and skills to identify supplies and equipment used to collect blood samples and other fluids from patients; ability to correctly route clinical samples to Laboratory sections, informing other staff of sample urgency as necessary. Performs and processes a wide variety of complex specimens from hospital patients and patients from outpatient and community based clinics. Adhere to turn-around times, performs tasks/assignments, technical duties and procedures with timelessness and accuracy; performs assignments independently with efficiencies and proficiencies. Performs organizing, prioritizing and coordinating multiple competing concurrent time sensitive tasks, such as drawing blood for routines, time sensitive studies (some coagulation tests, cardiac enzymes, therapeutic drug monitoring or etc.), receiving and accessioning STAT and ROUTINE specimens that been included in a heavy workload. Knowledgeable of technical methods, techniques, procedures, and preparation; deploys aseptic technique and follows guidelines used in performing venipuncture or blood collection on all patients according to doctor's orders; interprets orders proficiently on inpatients and outpatients. Identifies acceptable venipuncture sites (for bleeding time); deploys technical methods, techniques, procedures, and preparation. Ability to draw the appropriate number of tubes and type of tubes; ensuring the tubes meet quality, acceptability, integrity and volume standards required for optimum clinical sampling; with awareness of collections requiring special handling. Must assure venipuncture site has ceased bleeding and also bandages the site before leaving the patient. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 3:30pm-12:00am, with alternating holidays and weekends; subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD03708A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized