Medical Instrument Technician (EKG)

About the role

The Cincinnati VA Medical Center is looking for a Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) - Electrocardiograph (EKG) Technician/(Monitor Watcher) who is a clinical/technical specialist that will provide cardiac monitoring and patient care duties under the supervision of the Registered Nurse. The MIT/Monitor Watcher will be responsible for direct and indirect patient care. Clinical skills and proficiency are required for EKG monitoring - assessment - evaluation - age-appropriate care and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Assists with providing training to all new MIT/Monitor Watcher staff on the duties of the position in accordance with instructions, policies, previous trainings, or accepted practices with EKG monitoring.
• Provides orientation to new staff and ongoing guidance in collaboration with the Registered Nurse.
• Recognizes and reports changes in rhythms to the RN.
• Provides continuous monitoring of cardiac rate, rhythm, and patterns of conduction at a monitoring station.
• Recognizes and reports changes in a patient's rhythm that are outside the established parameters.
• Maintains patient confidentiality and rights at all times.
• Recognizes life‑threatening situations and notifies the Registered Nurse while simultaneously initiating emergency procedures.
• Demonstrates skills in the operation and monitoring of EKG monitoring systems.
• Monitors patient rhythm and determines proper alarm settings after verifying with the Registered Nurse (RN).
• Monitors for abnormal cardiac rhythms and understands that emergency medical treatment may be needed for such rhythms.
• Demonstrates knowledge of default alarm settings and makes adjustments based on RN guidance.
• Demonstrates skill in operation of monitoring of various equipment – cardiac monitors, 12‑lead EKG machines, vital signs machines, pulse oximetry, and other clinical equipment found in the Telemetry setting.
• Demonstrates how to measure EKG strips – including PR, QRS duration, QT, and rate using a minimum of a 6‑second strip.
• Verbalizes the need to ensure patient is admitted and placed on a cardiac monitor as soon as they arrive on the unit.
• Demonstrates how to attach cardiac monitor to patient once they arrive on the unit and verbalizes the need to ensure the patient is admitted and placed on a cardiac monitor as soon as they arrive on the floor.
• Obtains, measures, and interprets rhythm strip within the first 30 minutes of patient's arrival to the unit.
• Marks the date and time that the strip was obtained along with initials and documents rhythm strip.
• Verbalizes the need to repeat this procedure with any rhythm changes.

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.
• 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.
• Licensure or Certification: Not required for this occupation, but strongly desirable at GS‑6 or above as evidence of possession of essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated. For all specialties, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training that does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision (only applicable to current VHA employees in this occupation who meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations – GS‑7

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level demonstrating knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position. This includes knowledge of equipment, standard tests and procedures, typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  1. Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress, including ability to recognize, report, and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias.
  2. Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures.
  3. Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, and scar tissue.
  4. Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower‑graded technicians.
  5. Ability to conduct in‑service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation.
• Certification: No certification is required, however it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification.
• Assignment: This represents the full performance level. Medical instrument technicians (EKG) at this level operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment to perform specialized examinations and studies involving exercise stress testing, ambulatory monitoring of arrhythmias, and indirect carotid pulse tracings on chronic patients. They monitor tracings to identify arrhythmias and when gross abnormalities appear, when to repeat certain procedures, when to stop test procedures, and when to get the immediate attention of a physician. They evaluate test results to determine appropriate machine adjustments and use alternative techniques and procedures when established procedures do not accomplish acceptable results. This includes adapting equipment and accessories to yield the best results during the examination. They edit and select an appropriate sample portion of the tracing for further interpretation by the physician.

Pay

Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Schedule

Work Schedule: Tour 1 – Shifts: 7:30 pm – 8:00 am and two 8‑hour shifts – 11:30 pm – 8:00 am per week. Tour 2 – Mid shift: Two twelve‑hour shifts: 11:30 am – midnight and two 8‑hour shifts – 3:30 pm – midnight per week.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off: 37‑50 days of annual paid time off per year (13‑26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience.
• 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‑year vesting) and federal 401(k) 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.