Summary

The Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center is recruiting for a Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - Chief to work within Sterile Processing Services. The Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of MSTs - with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work. The following incentives may be available for qualified applicants: Recruitment

Qualifications

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
• English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j
• Experience and/or Education: Experience
• Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work
• or 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 Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
• Grade Determinations: GS-10 Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1
• Ability to implement and incorporate regulations - policies - and procedures to manage SPS operations
• 2
• Ability to evaluate new products and equipment - develop options - and make recommendations
• 3
• Ability to integrate SPS managerial duties - which includes strategic planning of facility organizational goals and integration of SPS vision and values within the organizational mission
• 4
• Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties - including assigning - planning and evaluating work - recommending awards - approving leave - identifying training needs - and resolving staff issues
• 5
• Skill to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in order to facilitate daily SPS functions
• 6
• Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal data in order to forecast resource and equipment needs
• Assignment
• The Chief has the overall responsibility for the supervision - administrative management and direction of the SPS
• Ensures SPS functions are in compliance with all regulatory mandates
• Forecasts - plans - develops and manages the SPS program
• Manages SPS personnel and serves as liaison between SPS and other departments
• Maintains effective interdepartmental relationships - coordinates and resolves problems - and ensures cooperation with other programs and services
• Manages the overall SPS budget including determining resource needs - allocating resources - and ensuring proper utilization in productivity - efficiency and cost effectiveness of SPS operations
• Formulates objectives - develops priorities and implements plans that support organizational goals
• Ensures operations are in compliance with all safety - regulatory and accrediting requirements
• Oversees orientation and training of staff
• Preferred Experience: 2-5 years of SPS experience References: VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Appendix G47 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10
• Physical Requirements: The work requires constant physical effort in the receipt - reprocessing - storage and issue of RME - folding of linen items - assembling trays - pans - and case carts - inserting and retrieving loaded sterilized carts from the autoclaves
• Hand and eye coordination is required in the disassembly and reassembling of equipment
• The worker is exposed to long periods of standing - bending and walking while reprocessing reusable medical equipment
• Frequent requirement for the lifting of RME - trays and cartons from storage shelves to carts
• Incumbent regularly uses case carts in the delivery of supplies and instruments to the clinical areas within the Medical Center
• Material weighs up to 50 pounds.

Duties

• The Chief of SPS reports directly to the Associate Director of Patient Care Services (or delegate) and is responsible for the management - evaluation of operations and supervision of assigned personnel
• Supervisor provides guidance concerning strategic program requirements - objectives and interpretation but incumbent works primarily independently and refers only problems with difficulty to the supervisor for discussion and advice
• The Chief of SPS provides leadership in improving processes by effectively guiding personnel in the delivery of high-quality services and products - assuring products are delivered in accordance with established standards - hospital policies and procedures - and consistent with the plans of other health care providers
• The Chief of SPS has the ability to assess and analyze the needs of departments and coordinates services in an effective and resource-efficient manner to assure total management of the identified needs
• Assumes responsibility for the processing and delivery of services and products and supporting factors that impact customer satisfaction
• As Chief of SPS - the incumbent will carry out the following: Oversees the processing of critical and semi critical reusable medical equipment
• Develops - reviews and approves Standard Operating Procedures for all identified critical and semi-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) that are designed by the manufacturer to be reused for multiple patients
• Incumbent oversees training in the setup - use - reprocessing - and maintenance of specific equipment
• Establishes and communicates workplace priorities and makes assignments accordingly
• Regularly assesses and establishes staffing plans that meet the workforce needs
• Establishes and communicates workplace priorities and makes assignments accordingly
• Monitors compliance with regulatory or VA directives
• Effectively assigns and delegates work
• Promotes and ensures a safe working environment
• Completes accident reports efficiently and timely
• Reviews and responds to anticipated unit activity
• Collaboratively establishes work unit goals and leads a team to goal attainment
• Communicates and enforces policies and procedures
• Manages workplace issues with consistency and documents appropriately
• Maintains an ethical management practice
• related to consistency - fairness - equity - payroll and timekeeping
• Routinely reviews work group expenditures affecting the unit (FTEE - per diem staff spending - OT - OWCP - impact of absenteeism)
• Reviews quality assurance data collected in SPS for tracking and trending
• Identifying strengths and weaknesses and developing process improvement processes to optimize performance
• Adheres to safety regulations and reporting processes to protect and improve patient and staff safety
• Evaluates work performance of subordinates
• Serves as a member or in an advisory capacity on committees such as Commodity Standardization - Infection Control - Environment of Care - and Reusable Medical Equipment
• Solicits assistance from - or responds to - inquiries from outside regulatory and advisory agencies to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures from organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) - Joint Commission (JC) - International Association for Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) - Association of Perioperative Nurses (AORN) - and others
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30AM-4:00PM Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60222F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized