About the Position: This position is located within Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) in the Directorate of Nursing Sterile Processing Department in Honolulu, Hawaii. Tripler Army Medical Center is a tobacco-free workplace. Tobacco products include, but are not limited to, smoking, smokeless tobacco, and electronic nicotine delivery devices.
Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. GS-04: General and/or Specialized Experience: Six months of general experience (1) in 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 medical equipment and supplies AND six months of specialized experience which includes sterilizing medical supplies and equipment for use in a hospital or operating rooms per regulatory standards. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-03). OR Education: Two years of education above the high school level that included at least 12 semester hours in courses such as medical supply processing, storage, and distribution; sterile supplies, operating room, and surgical technician courses; or other fields related to the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of education by 60. Add the two percentages. GS-05: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes sterilizing medical supplies and equipment for use in a hospital or operating rooms per regulatory standards, and maintaining medical instrument inventory to ensure daily operations. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04). OR Education: Four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of education beyond two years (total semester hours minus 60) by 60. Add the two percentages. GS-06: Specialized Experience GS-06: One year of specialized experience which includes Sterilizing medical supplies and equipment for use in a hospital or operating rooms per regulatory standards; Troubleshooting sterilization equipment and machines; Inspecting medical supplies for defects; and Maintaining medical instrument inventory to ensure daily operations. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05). Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.
Perform daily quality assurance testing on all equipment used in the cleaning and sterilization of surgical instruments.
Compile reports on multiple aspects of instrument processing and quality assurance.
Ensure compliance with established policies and procedures and other industry standards and regulations.
Monitor and track surgical instruments through the use of automated instrument tracking log/system to maintain and monitor inventory records, generate purchase orders.
Prepare contaminated surgical items for sterilization procedures and select appropriate chemical or washing agent necessary for decontaminating or cleaning surgical instruments.
Disassemble surgical items to smallest component level for cleaning and sterilization.
Conduct equipment testing of surgical instruments to ensure operational efficiency and surgical precision.
Visually inspect required instruments for cleanliness, signs of damage, deterioration, or imperfection.
Select the appropriate sterilization method based upon manufacture requirements and recommendations.
Package instruments based on the sterilization method and established policies and procedures.
Ensure appropriate climate control measures are maintained.
Check the expiration date on all sterile supply items, remove all outdated items, and rotate the stock.
Document shortages of instruments and other sterile supplies according to organizational policy and guidelines.
Coordinate substitution of instruments with requesting surgical ward or clinics.