Medical Instrument Technician - Gastroenterology (GI)

This position serves as a Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) at the Temple, Texas hospital. The Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) is a member of the GI Endoscopy Team and helps the physician, registered nurse, and other team members during diagnostic endoscopy examinations or medical treatment procedures as part of the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

The incumbent performs a variety of duties, including but not limited to, the following:

• Functions independently on all GI Endoscopy procedures, handling instruments, supplies, and equipment, during procedures such as Colonoscopy, EGD, EGD with dilations, EUS, ERCP, Pill Cam, Fine Needle Aspirations, liver biopsies, paracentesis, banding varices, enteroscopy, endoscopic mucosal resections, stent placements, PEG tube placement and other complex procedures.
• Assist with performing GI endoscopy procedures, managing supplies and complex equipment.
• Obtains documents and communicates technical data to the RN and physician.
• Assist the gastroenterologist by performing such procedures as obtaining specimens, cytology, injecting contrast solutions, dye, and suctioning.
• Prepares procedure room for the performance of a GI procedure.
• Sets up and ensures proper functioning of equipment prior to the procedure, including calibration as indicated.
• Operates and maintains medical instruments and equipment for diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Practices principles of sterile and aseptic technique and learns to prepare instruments independently and without direct supervision.
• Observes, identifies, and immediately corrects a break in procedure and/or technique by any member of the GI Endoscopy Team.
• Identifies and/or takes action to correct actual or potential safety hazards concerning infection control, equipment malfunctions, i.e., when setting up complex computerized systems such as endoscopy towers, must be cognizant of deviations that could be potentially hazardous to the patient.
• Anticipates, detects, and responds to deviations from normal in the patients, which can result in an emergent situation.
• Identifies, initiates, and implements input into new policies and procedures related to GI Endoscopy.
• Learns to work independently with SPS staff, following policies and procedures, i.e., when new procedures are performed, personnel will learn to project possible equipment, specialty instruments and supplies that might be utilized and are able to assimilate that knowledge and set up the equipment.
• Maintains established competencies for the area of assignment.
• Participates in the education and evaluation of competencies for other assigned GI Endoscopy technicians, providing input to the GI Supervisory RN.
• Identifies and actively participates in departmental programs for cost containment and risk management.
• Utilizes appropriate assistive devices (i.e., lifts, transfer devices, other personnel) to promote safety of patients and personnel.
• Assumes responsibility for unit preventive maintenance by cleaning, maintaining, and reporting malfunctions in equipment, workstations, and patient care areas to the registered nurse.
• Makes observations and thoroughly documents care and the patient's response.
• Initiates patient calls before appointment date to confirm appointment and reinforce teaching regarding bowl preparation compliance and expectations as to performance of procedure and post procedure instructions/follow up.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule: Will require various Tours of Duty to include days, weekends, and extended hours based on needs of service and organization. 24hour on-call rotations. Tours of duty may include 7:30am - 4:00pm, 8:00am - 4:30pm, 08:30am -5:00pm, or 9:30am - 6:00pm.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
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 #: 54983-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship. Citizenship of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)
• Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions.
• 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.

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-07 Gastroenterology (GI) Technician:
Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which provided knowledge of proper performance of endoscopic equipment and procedures. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of endoscopic equipment and use in basic and complex endoscopic procedures.
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology related to the GI system, with ability to recognize and report obvious abnormalities during procedures.
• Ability to assist physician with specialized, complex procedures.
• Knowledge of universal precautions and disinfection techniques and ability to follow SOP's to clean reusable medical equipment (RME).
• Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service skills and interpersonal skills with all healthcare professionals to ensure quality and continuity of care.
• Ability to use basic computer systems and programs to record patient and endoscopic data, adhering to patient privacy and information security policies.
• Ability to deliver patient care, including vital sign measurements and medication administration.

Preferred Experience:

• Holds Current BLS
• Minimum 2 years recent experience routine/complex endoscopic procedures.
• Strong technical proficiency, troubleshooting endoscope and related equipment issues.
• Actively involved in unit/facility activities such as Shared Governance, Committees, and/or Process Improvement activities within current specialty.

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

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds

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/.

If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.