OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan" - 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? 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. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Preferred Experience: Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable. Grade Determinations: GS-8 (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct diagnostic echocardiography examinations in complex and unusual cases. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (b). Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 1. 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. 2. Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases. 3. 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. 4. Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography. 5. 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. (c) Certification. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable. (d) Assignment. This represents the full performance level. Echocardiography technicians at this level identify and record anomalies indicative of disease, injury, or other medically significant condition from ultrasound imaging and simultaneous recordings of the Doppler. They incorporate the causes and results of a variety of symptoms and conditions into a plan of ultrasonic diagnostic examination. They change and develop sounding techniques to accommodate such variables as limited patient mobility, variation in physical condition or dimension of the patient, presence of prosthesis or foreign objects, and ultrasonic response of different body parts. They produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler ultrasound. References: VA Handbook 5005/15 Part II Appendix G27 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: The work requires extended periods of sitting, manipulation such as extension, flexion, and rotation of wrists, key boarding, moving heavy equipment, lifting boxed supplies, bending, reaching, and positioning patients. ["This position included but not limited to all forms of cardiac stress testing, transesophageal echocardiography, and eletrocardiograms. This position supports the clinical and administrative components of cardiology testing. The ancillary service is essential to the incumbents ability to work independently and analyze cardiac abnormalities, disorders, injury disease and its process for an accurate diagnose by licensed physicians. The duties of this position include coordinating, supervising, and operating diagnostic ultrasound equipment using the principles of physics and instrumentation. To create qualitative diagnose exams in the Echo Lab and throughout the hospital where needed. This includes the Cardiac Catherization Lab, Surgery Department, Emergency Department and all patient units. The Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography) must provide appropriate physical, educational, safety and age related care, including adult and geriatric populations. He/she is able to utilize their knowledge and expertise of human growth and development. Duties include training medical residents and fellows, who require training in the field of echocardiography. Therefore the incumbent is required to possess a wide range of communication skills. Specifically, the Echocardiographer performs the following procedures (also identified on the competency check list); The Echocardiographer is responsible for patient education, testing and reporting during the echo exam. Is responsible for quality management of echo studies and duplicating studies when necessary. As the incumbent is a frequent presence in the Cardiac Lab the incumbent must possess basic knowledge of radiation and how to protect against preventable exposure. The incumbent is responsible for proper CT coding within 48 hours of the exam completion, as in accordance with hospital policy. The incumbent is responsible for all aspects of patients echo safety and required to use the least amount of power when scanning a patient. The incumbent is responsible for inventory control of the echo lab. The incumbent is responsible for keeping the echo equipment clean and reporting technical errors when needed to IT personnel. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8am - 4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
