Summary

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families - caregivers - and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• English Language Proficiency: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 USC 7401(d) - 7407(d)
• GRADE REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the basic requirements above the following is the amount of experience required to qualify for this position
• GS-8 Level: At least one full year of experience as a Medical Instrument Technician - (Echocardiography) comparable to the next lower level (GS-7) which demonstrates the knowledge - skills - abilities - and other characteristics related to the duties of the position
• This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge - skills - and abilities to conduct diagnostic echocardiography examinations in complex and unusual cases
• The following KSAs must be demonstrated: Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode - two-dimensional - pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display - and Colorflow Doppler imaging
• Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases
• Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves - chamber enlargement - and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves - etc.
• Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) trans-thoracic - Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography - (invasive) stress echocardiography - and trans-esophageal echocardiography
• Ability to adapt transducer positioning - instrument controls - and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings
• 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
• CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION: Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) - as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) - Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are not required - but highly desirable
• Preferred Experience: Experienced Echocardiogram Sonographer - Stress ECHO - TEE - TTE - Dobutamine Stress ECHO Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional DUTIES: Performs diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode - 2-D - pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display and color flow Doppler imaging
• Performs complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the 4 chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves - chamber enlargement - and pericardial effusion - thrombus and pressure gradients across obstructed valves
• Performs Dobutamine and exercise stress
• Adapts transducer positioning - instrument controls and examination techniques to the individual patient and to the problem to be evaluated
• Monitors patient's condition during procedures and reports significant findings according to policies and procedures
• Accurately documents information in the medical record and any other clinical or administrative applications
• Is proficient in the operation - calibration and maintenance of the specialized equipment in the ECHO suite
• Completes encounters on all ECHOs performed - using the correct CPT codes - diagnosis - service connection status and other fields as required and assists management in overall encounter practices in ECHO suite
• Communicates effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels - patients and their families - and customers from outside facilities
• Assists in the development of new policies and procedures that pertain to the echocardiography suite
• Assists the scheduling MSA in determining appropriateness of consults - triage and priority when needed
• Independently maintain competence with Peripheral IV insertion for contrast use in Echo studies Be sufficiently familiar with cardiac related symptoms - cardiac auscultation results - medical terminology - and other pertinent diagnostic tools in order to assess possible areas of cardiac abnormality or rule out or validate a suspected diagnosis
• Analyze echo tomograms to obtain a diagnostic quality echo by adjusting the position of the patient's body - adjusting respiratory rate - and probe position as well as machine controls to obtain at least one diagnostic quality heart cycle in a given projection
• Echo exams are operator (rather than equipment) oriented
• Recognize serious problems diagnosed from echo tracings
• Exercise professional judgement in order to determine when an emergency exists requiring immediate medical intervention
• Work Schedule: Intermittent - As needed on an Intermittent Basis
• Intermittent staff must be able to work flexible hours according to the needs of the service
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary Paid Time Off: Not eligible Child Care Subsidy: Not eligible Retirement: Not eligible Insurance: Eligible if expected to work over 130 hours per month for 90 days Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 02040F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized