Medical Laboratory Technician

Summary The Medical Laboratory Technician is in Clinical Support - Pathology and Laboratory service line at the Lebanon VA Medical Center. Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA PolicyEducation: Candidates must meet the applicable educational requirements for certificationCertification: Candidates must currently possess one of the appropriate certifications as an MLT granted by the following organizationsAmerican Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) - Board of Certification or Board of Registry - American Medical Technologists OR - American Association of BioanalystsException: Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may receive a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed two years as a graduate MLT under the authority of 38 U.S.C.7405(c)(2) without the option to extendFor grade levels above full performance level - the candidate must be certified in accordance with paragraph aboveGrandfathering Provision: All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties described in this qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held - including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certificationFor employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned - promoted up to and include the full performance (journey) level - or changed to a lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positionsEmployees in an occupation requiring a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before being promoted to those higher grade levelsEmployees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standardEmployees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupationEmployees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employmentEnglish Language Proficiency: MLT candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C.7403(f)Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for Medical Laboratory Technician - the following criteria are used to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates: Medical Laboratory Technician - GS-05: Experience: None beyond the basic requirementsKnowledge - Skills and Abilities: None Medical Laboratory Technician - GS-06: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade levelKnowledge - Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Knowledge of MLT principles - practices - concepts and theories for sound independent workKnowledge of laboratory quality control and quality assurance procedures to manage reagents and supply inventories using document control systemsAbility to maintain - troubleshoot and repair instrumentationAbility to work as a team member in a laboratory setting to effectively complete assignmentsAbility to use technical judgment to interpret laboratory resultsAbility to apply complex written laboratory instructionsAbility to consult with other members of the health care team - patients and external customersPreferred Experience: None Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-06Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this positionQuestions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Duties Major duties and responsibilities include - but are not limited to: Performs venipunctures using proper collection technique from both outpatients and inpatients insuring that specimens are properly labeled and preservedPerforms phlebotomy at an acceptable and constant rate to accommodate scheduled and unscheduled patients in a timely mannerEnsures the correct identity of patients and maintains the identification throughout the entire collection and processing stepsUtilizes the computer according to policy for determining laboratory requests and accessioning of specimensProperly instructs patients on specimen collection for those specimens that the patient must collectInsures that samples delivered to the Lab from other locations are correctly labeled and stored at appropriate temperaturesComplies with all Laboratory safety and infection control policies without exceptionConsistently follows established guidelines for proper disposal of biohazardous materials - sharps and other potentially infectious materialsApplies proper safety techniques when performing venipunctures and other duties to include use of proper personal protective equipment - maintenance of clean work areas and knowledge of proper techniques to clean up various chemical or biohazardous spillsMaintains inventory of phlebotomy supplies and promptly notifies Material Management of supply needs before depletionPerforms clerical functions such as answering the phone or communicating with nursing/providers with any testing questions/concerns as well as provide results - monitoring consumable inventory - entering results received from reference laboratoriesProcesses collected specimens in preparation for testing or transport to reference laboratoriesHandling patient/provider referral of incoming calls - customer service to veterans - visitors - staff and laboratory specimen referral supportPerforms technical and non-technical duties in accordance with the VA/CAP/TJC/FDA/AABB regulatory agenciesPerforms other related duties as assignedWork Schedule: Monday- Friday - 6:00am- 2:30pm - including rotating weekends and holidaysTelework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: 03951F and 02856F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized