Medical Instrument Technician - Anesthesia

A Medical Instrument Technician (Anesthesia) reports to the Anesthesiology Service Chief (clinical) and the Administrative Officer (AO) for Anesthesiology (administrative and programmatic), who determines and defines the overall work goals. Medical Instrument Technicians (Anesthesia Technicians) perform logistical and technical support to anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties and skills needed to be successful in this position include, but are not limited to:

• Independently performs daily checks in the process of monitoring equipment and anesthetic machines in the operating suite.
• Perform point of care laboratory testing including I-stat and glucometer.
• Complete required quality control tests on point of care equipment.
• Teach nurse anesthetists, residents, house officers and staff physicians on the correct use and maintenance of physiologic monitoring equipment. Set up and calibrate transducer monitoring equipment.
• Assist with insertion of central access lines using sterile technique.
• Preparation and stocking of all anesthesia travel carts, and remote anesthesia locations.
• Assist in positioning patients for anesthesia procedures such as spinal blocks.
• Cleaning of all anesthesia equipment between cases and terminal clean at end of day.
• Work with logistics, Service Chief and Administrative Officer to anticipate and find alternatives to backorder of short supply equipment. Check all disposable equipment for outdates and remove them from stock.
• Prepare primed Intravenous solutions for scheduled cases.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0700-1530
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases when setting pay.
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 Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 554-61385A,554-61386A,554-61387A,554-61388A,554-61337A
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English. No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-4: 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 position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: OR,
Education: Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an 6 associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of basic medical terminology.
• Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used.
• Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress.
• Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing.

GS-5: 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 position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: OR,
Education: Successful completion of [4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or] a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions.
• Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment.
• Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities.
• Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures.
• Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine.

GS-6 : 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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology (specifically cardiac and pulmonary).
• Knowledge and application of safety and infection control processes.
• Ability to serve as a circulating technician for supplies and to assist with documentation of hemodynamic patient data.
• Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies and equipment appropriate to less complex anesthetic procedures, such as those found in Ambulatory Surgery.

Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.

GS-7: 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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the fundamentals of standard equipment operation, calibration and function.
• Knowledge of correct use of non-invasive patient monitoring equipment specific to anesthesiology.
• Ability to appropriately interact with patients during anesthetic procedures.
• Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies and equipment appropriate to routine anesthetic procedures, such as those found in typical inpatient settings.

Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.

GS-8: 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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the correct use of invasive patient monitoring equipment specific to anesthesiology.
• Knowledge of basic electrocardiography (EKG).
• Skill and ability to troubleshoot equipment, often while the patient is anesthetized.
• Skill and ability to maintain sterility during procedures.
• Knowledge and understanding of arterial pressure line wave forms including the ability to recognize and distinguish normal from abnormal, artifact from abnormality, and forewarn the physician or anesthetist of an impending life-threatening situation.
• Knowledge of anesthesiology supplies, medications, and equipment appropriate to more difficult anesthetic procedures such as those found in inpatient settings with more acutely ill patients.

Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.

Preferred Experience: Experience troubleshooting anesthesia machines, including routine checks and advanced fault identification. Skilled in difficult intubation support and airway management, working collaboratively with anesthesia providers. Experience assisting with cardiac anesthesia procedures and invasive line placement (arterial, central, and other hemodynamic monitoring lines).

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS4 to GS8.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.