Medical Instrument Technician (EKG)

About the role

The Medical Instrument Technician (EKG) performs patient electrocardiograms and continuous observation of patient heart rhythms and oximetry via remote monitoring. The technician analyzes, interprets and documents cardiac activity and oximetry, and provides immediate notification of dangerous arrhythmias or alarm changes.

Major duties

• Cardiac surveillance: Real-time monitoring of multiple patient heart rates, rhythms and oximetry using computerized monitoring systems
• Interpretation: Identifying normal and abnormal cardiac rhythms and oximetry levels
• Alerting staff: Promptly communicating life-threatening or significant changes to nurses and/or physician; activates rapid response or emergency Code Blue
• Equipment maintenance: Prepare patient, applies electrodes, sets up monitoring equipment, troubleshooting issues, changing batteries, cleaning and inspecting leads and telemetry units
• Documentation: Admits patients in the central computer system, meticulously records patient cardiac data in electronic health record
• Electrocardiograms: Performs ECG, ensures transmission

Requirements

Basic qualifications

• 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 (see grade requirements)
• 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 and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable.

Grade determinations

GS-4:

• At least 1 year of experience comparable to GS-3 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position. Six months may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant or practical nursing; remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. OR Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation.
• Required KSAs: Knowledge of basic medical terminology; ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment; ability to learn typical patient reactions and recognize signs of distress; ability to learn standard positions for the procedure; ability to communicate orally and in writing.

GS-5:

• At least 1 year of experience comparable to GS-4 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position (operating equipment related to the particular specialization). OR Successful completion of four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field appropriate to medical instrument technician functions.
• Required KSAs: Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders; knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients; ability to learn normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities; ability to operate equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures; ability to perform standard operator maintenance including disassembling, cleaning, reassembling, and calibrating the machine.

GS-6:

• At least 1 year of experience comparable to GS-5 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position.
• Required KSAs: Ability to recognize special patient needs such as disabilities, impaired mobility, and complicating medical conditions in order to prepare and position the patient; knowledge of specialized equipment and accessories appropriate to Holter monitoring; knowledge of universal precautions and sterilization techniques and ability to follow CDC guidelines in cleaning equipment; ability to monitor patients for adverse reactions and take appropriate action; ability to operate equipment to perform standard and routine highly specialized procedures including exercise stress testing.

GS-7 (full performance level):

• At least 1 year of experience comparable to GS-6 which provided knowledge of the equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities.
• Required KSAs: Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress including ability to recognize, report and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias; knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures; 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; ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians; ability to conduct in-service training on EKG equipment and related instrumentation.

Schedule

• Full Time, 8-hour tours – nights & evenings
• Tours are subject to change based on the needs of the health care system

Pay & benefits

• 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)
• 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)
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a 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 programs can be carried into retirement)
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
• Relocation Assistance: Not Authorized
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position