Summary

This position is located in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System - in Reno - NV. Care is delivered through the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center and many community-based outpatient (CBOC) and outreach clinics - supporting Veterans residing in Northern Nevada and portions of Northern California.

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
• Education: Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirement for certification
• Foreign Education: Graduates of foreign MLT programs are considered to meet the basic education requirements if they have a current certification as described below
• Certification: Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as MLT granted by the following organizations
• A) American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• ASCP - Board of Certification OR ASCP - Board of Registry
• (B) American Medical Technologists OR (C) American Association of Bioanalysts
• Exception
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may receive a temporary appointment beginning at the GS-5 grade and promoted up to the full performance level not to exceed two years as a graduate MLT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)92) without the option to extend
• For grade levels above full performance level - the candidate must be certified in one of the above
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: GS-5 grade level: Experience: None beyond the basic requirements Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: None Assignment: This is an entry-level developmental MLT position
• MLTs will typically receive guidance from experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision
• MLTs at this level perform testing in one or more of the following areas: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived testing - phlebotomy - hematology - immunohematology - clinical chemistry - immunology - toxicology - urinalysis - referral laboratory - microbiology and specimen processing
• MLTs recognize data with life-threatening (critical) implications and understand the importance of immediately bringing the data to the attention of the patient's physician and/or nursing staff
• GS-6 grade level: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Knowledge of MLT principles - practices - concepts and theories for sound independent work
• Knowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures to manage reagents and supply inventories using document control systems
• Ability to maintain - troubleshoot and repair instrumentation
• Ability to work as a team member in a laboratory setting to effectively complete assignments
• Ability to use technical judgement to interpret laboratory results
• Ability to apply complex written laboratory instructions
• Ability to consult with other members of the health care team - patients and external customers
• Assignment: At the full performance level - MLTs use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the laboratory - from sample collection to evaluating and communicating test results
• MLTs perform day-to-day operations in the laboratory with minimal technical supervision while ensuring testing accuracy and quality of proper patient care
• This includes providing pre-analytic instructions to patients - VA staff and other external entities related to collection and processing of laboratory specimens
• MLTs use processing techniques such as centrifugation - aliquoting - storage and packaging (considering stability factors) - and they accurately label and sort patient specimens
• MLTs operate and maintain all instrumentation in assigned areas to deliver precise - timely and accurate laboratory results when analyzing body fluids such as blood - urine and tissue samples
• MLTs at this level analyze laboratory finding and issue necessary reports
• The results and finding of laboratory findings of laboratory tests and procedures are discussed with supervisors - pathologists and other medical professionals as needed
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-6. Physical Requirements: The work requires manual dexterity and exceptional hand/eye coordination - some physical exertion - such as regular and recurring walking - bending - or sitting over a microscope and concentration for long periods of time while working with specimens
• It is possible to stand for several consecutive hours while performing tasks
• In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job
• Position requires lifting of reagent containers weighing up to 40 pounds.

Duties

• Major duties include but are not limited too: Operates primarily as a \"floating\" MLT and will fill in wherever needed across all SNVAHCS laboratory locations and/or departments such as Phlebotomy - Transfusion Medicine - Chemistry & Toxicology - Hematology - Hemostasis - Microbiology - and Urinalysis
• regularly (daily) perform a broad range of difficult and highly complex tests and examinations which span all laboratory specialty areas
• Independently performs the full range (moderate & high complexity) of laboratory tests on any/all laboratory shifts including - but not limited to - weekends - holidays - evenings - and nights
• Incumbent may be required to rotate/work different shifts
• Recognizes and reacts to malfunction indicators of elaborate and complex instrumentation
• determines and implements corrections without onsite supervisory or technical assistance
• Recognizes and solves most problems - only rarely requesting supervisory assistance
• Independently performs quality control testing and evaluations on very difficult and complex tests - procedures - examinations - and on complex instrumentation with very fine settings and/or measurements
• Without onsite supervisory or technical support - incumbent independently interprets quality control results and approves suitability to begin testing patient samples
• Collects blood from patients in outpatient blood draw sites - on the inpatient wards - ICU - and emergency department using aseptic techniques - following standard precautions - and using personal protective equipment
• Assists phlebotomists as needed - including the collection of blood samples from difficult to draw patients - and assisting with the training of new phlebotomy interns on patient identification - accessioning of orders - and collection of samples using accepted techniques
• Incumbent will travel to other SNVAHCS laboratory sites as needed to perform duties and/or provide laboratory coverage to meet Sierra Nevada VA HCS mission requirements (i.e
• manning shortage and/or emergency situations)
• Work Schedule: To be determined Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: GS-0507198F GS-0609199 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized