Medical Technician - Phlebotomy

Duties

• Uses proper sterile techniques for collection of specimens - as well as using special drawing techniques as needed - while ensuring safety and non-traumatic processes are used with critical concern for the patients and the quality of the specimen
• Performs venipuncture specimen collections from inpatients - outpatients - and ambulatory inpatients - with a minimal number of failures or required re-sticks
• Ensures that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay
• Affirms the patient as the individual denoted on the request and labels all tubes with the patient's name and social security number to ensure proper identification
• Records test time and intervals as appropriate
• Processes and assures proper storage of specimens
• Uses standard aseptic procedures and safeguards and adheres to safety - infection control - and universal precautions at all times
• Makes gross visual observations during specimen collection and identifies subtle changes regarding the patient's condition - notifying appropriate emergency personnel as needed
• Receives all specimens that are sent to commercial reference laboratory for testing
• Maintains the laboratory facilities and equipment - controls supplies - and maintains and controls laboratory records
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Qualifications

• English Language Proficiency Requirement: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Selective Placement Factor: Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients.
• To qualify for this position at the GS-4 level - you must meet one of the following requirements:
• Experience: At least 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.
• Educational and Training: Successful completion of an associate-degree course of study of which the 2nd year of the 2-year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; 1 year of study that included 6 semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences - plus successful completion of a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) school that included instruction in chemistry - hematology - blood banking - and microbiology (including serology) and that - in addition - included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; or 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled.
• Combination: Equivalent combinations of post-high school education and experience - as described above.

Physical Requirements

• The work requires extensive and recurring physical exertion such as standing for long periods of time - bending - standing - lifting - walking - stooping - and stretching - Light to medium weight items are carried around the work area. May require the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally ill patients.