Medical Instrument Technician (Diagnostic Ultrasound)

About the role

The Medical Instrument Technician (Diagnostic Ultrasound) operates independently and without direct supervision as the technologist responsible for the performance and coordination of all diagnostic medical sonography including abdominal - extremity - obstetrical/gynecologic and vascular technology.

Responsibilities

• Performs ultrasound procedures and special - complicated examinations such as to the abdomen - pelvis - transvaginal - chest - small parts - thyroid - and scrotum
• Performs vascular studies: carotid - vertebral - renal artery - aortic aneurysm - portal-systemic shunts - etc
• Affixes to fluid aspirations
• Navigates the patient's electronic clinical record prior to exam - including - clinical diagnosis laboratory results and reviews prior ultrasound/vascular exams and other exams to prepare for and to understand existing pathology
• Maintains electronic records and files of exams performed on patients
• Demonstrates excellent customer service at all times using tact - diplomacy and courtesy in dealing with customer base - patients - family - visitors - volunteers and staff
• Understands and is knowledgeable of anatomy and physiology and cross-sectional anatomy - recognizing unusual images and determining proper positioning to best demonstrate areas of interest
• Schedules exams in a manner to optimize scanner times while maintaining flexibility for emergency cases
• Determines technical factors - positioning - number and thickness of scans - etc. - to produce and satisfy requirements of US scanning
• Schedules patients for examinations
• Advises radiologists or referring physicians of examination results
• Notifies them of scans requiring their immediate attention
• Communicates with coworkers - hospital staff and provides to successfully hand off patients after an exam is completed
• Makes necessary documentation in CPRS regarding patient status and completes incident reports for all infiltrates - extravasations and other unforeseen events
• Explains examinations to be performed to the patients so that an understanding of the purpose of the study as well as any requirements of the patients are thoroughly understood
• Participates in the training of physicians - students - and radiology technicians so that these individuals may acquire an understanding of the principles of ultrasound and how it relates to other diagnostic exams
• Advises interpreting provider of significant abnormalities that would require their immediate attention and visualization while the patient is undergoing examination
• Distributes completed examinations and related information to the radiologist responsible for the interpretation of the exams

Requirements

• 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
• Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: Ability to perform diagnostic ultrasound examination on multiple areas of the body - including - but not limited to - the abdomen - pelvis - transvaginal - chest - small parts - thyroid - breast - and scrotum
• Ability to perform vascular studies such as vertebral - renal artery - aortic aneurysm - portal-systemic shunts - etc
• Ability to assist radiologists with biopsy procedures determining the location - depth - and required needle angle for the lesion to be sampled
• Ability to assist in surgical procedures and fluid aspirations

Qualifications

• Licensure or Certification: 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
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable

Skills

• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology and cross-sectional anatomy
• Ability to recognize and report major equipment malfunctions
• Ability to navigate the patient's electronic clinical record
• Ability to schedule exams in a manner to optimize scanner times while maintaining flexibility for emergency cases
• Ability to determine technical factors - positioning - number and thickness of scans - etc. - to produce and satisfy requirements of US scanning
• Ability to advise radiologists or referring physicians of examination results
• Ability to notify radiologists or referring physicians of scans requiring their immediate attention
• Ability to communicate with coworkers - hospital staff and provide successful handoff of patients after an exam is completed
• Ability to make necessary documentation in CPRS regarding patient status and complete incident reports for all infiltrates - extravasations and other unforeseen events
• Ability to explain examinations to be performed to the patients
• Ability to participate in the training of physicians - students - and radiology technicians
• Ability to advise interpreting providers of significant abnormalities that would require their immediate attention and visualization while the patient is undergoing examination
• Ability to distribute completed examinations and related information to the radiologist responsible for the interpretation of the exams

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting)
• Federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care
• Childcare subsidy
• Retirement

Pay

Competitive salary and regular salary increases

Schedule

Monday to Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m

Benefits

• Annual paid time off: 37-50 days 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

Other

• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional