Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Ancillary Testing Coordinator)

About the role

The incumbent serves as the Ancillary Testing Coordinator (ATC) and is responsible for ancillary testing or point-of-care testing at the Fargo VA Health Care System; Fargo main campus facility and Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) sites.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate, interpret, and teach others to use quality control procedures and implement corrective actions.
• Assure orientation and competency of assigned staff, and assure compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements.
• Cookpilot CBOC activities related to the laboratory service.
• Train and evaluate the competency of a variety of individuals (physicians, residents, nurses, radiology techs, respiratory therapy techs, and health technicians) in the performance of ancillary testing procedures and in the reporting of test results promptly, accurately, and proficiently.
• Monitor test analyses and specimen examinations to ensure acceptable levels of performance.
• Create, apply, and monitor r??engineering and continuous performance improvement initiatives, both within the program and/or the organization. In collaboration with local management, conduct site visits to assess potential sites for CBOC implementation.
• Conduct CBOC site visits as necessary to provide training, competency evaluation, and/or on-site consultation.
• Consult with program managers or equivalent of clinical services to identify ancillary testing needs and to analyze emerging trends and technology and adopt appropriate methods, serving as a recognized technical expert to provide authoritative advice, training, troubleshooting, quality assessment, and ancillary testing program consultation.
• Develop technical bulletins, procedures, training materials, and other program materials, ensuring accreditation and compliance with all regulatory agencies for patient testing, result reporting, and proficiency testing including reports, monitors, and continuous performance improvement initiatives.
• Evaluate ancillary testing activities to assess ongoing day-to-day compliance with established protocols and guidelines identifying, defining, and resolving issues associated with complex aspects of the data and problems associated with unique aspects of the ancillary testing management program.
• Provide administrative and technical oversight for the work performed and the activities associated with Point of Care (POC) analyzers located outside of the laboratory.
• Coordinate the service's proficiency testing program. Ensure the service is participating in all the appropriate proficiency testing surveys. Monitor and evaluate the laboratory's performance on proficiency testing challenges. Initiate follow-up on unacceptable survey results.

Requirements

This announcement is open to the public and employees of other Federal agencies. Current, permanent VA employees should apply to announcement CBSY-13003173-26-JE

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements:
• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Education. A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university.
• Certification.
• (1) Candidates must meet one of the certification options below.
• (a) Generalist certification as an MLS given by ASCP BOC or AMT.
• (b) Generalist certification as an MT given by ASCP BOR or AMT.
• (c) Categorical certification or Specialist certification by ASCP or AMT.
• Note: Categorical and specialist certifications are not acceptable for CLS Generalist positions or lab sections unrelated to the categorical or specialist certification held. Categorical or specialist certifications are acceptable for higher-graded positions within the relevant lab section or one of the non-section specific assignments (including, Ancillary Testing Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Laboratory Information Manager, Quality Manager, Laboratory Manager, Regional Technical Specialist, National Quality and Compliance Agent, Regional Program Manager, Regional Director, Laboratory Director, or National Quality and Compliance Officer).
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational requirements if they meet either of the following:
• (1) Foreign transcripts are evaluated by an acceptable evaluation agency, and the degree is found to be equivalent to a NAACLS-approved U.S. clinical laboratory science degree program. OR
• (2) The applicant submits a letter from ASCP BOC or AMT stating the individual is eligible to take the certification examination.
• Note: Possession of a certification identified in 4c above automatically determines the foreign education as creditable and no further documentation or proof of equivalency is needed.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f).
• 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).
• Experience. 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required for all GS-12 assignments.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• (A) Knowledge of medical technology concepts, principles, practices, and methodologies sufficient to perform full oversight and guidance for testing programs outside of the laboratory.
• (B) Knowledge of mathematics and statistics as related to quality control, quality assurance, proficiency testing, inspection and accreditation, and continuous quality improvement.
• (C) Knowledge of Federal, state, and VHA laws, regulations, reference standards, and certifying or accrediting agency requirements to carry out work in each ancillary testing site.
• (D) Knowledge of laboratory information technology systems and interconnectivity.
• (E) Skill in applying new scientific/technological developments and theories to laboratory testing.
• (F) Ability to evaluate, interpret, and teach others to use quality control procedures and implement corrective actions.
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.