Medical Instrument Technician (Diagnostic Ultrasound)

About the role

This position is assigned to the Ultrasound Service (US) within the Radiology Department and supervised by the MRI/US Supervisory Radiologic Technologist (DRT).

Responsibilities

• Use of medical terminology and human anatomy in order to receive and interpret physician requests for routine, standardized ultrasonography procedures.
• Use of tissue harmonics and soundwave propagation within the body to adjust TGC (Time Gain Compensation) for optimal image quality.
• Use of the physics of velocity, frequency of soundwaves, and their physical properties.
• Set up and adjust the ultrasound equipment to meet the conditions of the examination and the patient and operate the equipment for standardized, routine procedures.
• Interact with patients explaining procedures and positioning the patient for the procedure.
• Cook up a variety of technical procedures that require independent judgment, ingenuity and initiative to effectively diagnose patients by using a wide variety of complex imaging exams.
• Use of physical assessments, aseptic techniques, intravenous methods and techniques and universal precautions as it pertains to Ultrasound.
• Understand specific regulatory processes, VA standards regarding radiology quality assurance and other technical functions.
• Review medical records, interview patients and communicate with onsite or offsite Radiologist(s) to determine medical appropriateness of requested examination; Review and relay factors that may contraindicate the procedure.
• Gather relevant information from the medical record, significant others, and health care providers as it relates to the imaging study.
• Position and image the patient, prepare the processed media for interpretation by a Radiologist and assures images are properly identified with patient demographics and verifies the archiving on the Picture Archiving Computer System (PACS).
• Obtain other pertinent diagnostic examinations (CT, MRI, X-Rays, IR, etc.) for the Radiologist which may be necessary for correlation between the performed exam and the clinical history.
• Provide additional images, when deemed necessary to ensure adequate information for unexpected findings.
• Advise Radiologist(s) of significant abnormalities that require their immediate attention and/or visualization while the patient is undergoing examination.
• Identify patients properly through the Radiology Information System (RIS) interface identifier. This is essential so that mistaken identity of patient images does not occur. This is done by verifying with each patient verbally using two unique identifiers.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Work Schedule: Mon-Fri Days (7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm) W/ Alternating Calls
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 08584F
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

• 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.
• GS-6 Grade Requirements: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-5) which demonstrates the KSAs and other characteristics related to the duties of the position.
• GS-7 Grade Requirements: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-6) which demonstrates the KSAs and other characteristics related to the duties of the position.
• GS-8 Grade Requirements: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-7) which demonstrates the KSAs and other characteristics related to the duties of the position.
• GS-9 Grade Requirements: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-8) which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.
• GS-10 Grade Requirements: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-9) which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.