Supervisory Medical Support Technician (Sterile Processing)-Assistant Chief

About the role

The Assistant Chief of Sterile Processing Service (SPS) is a direct report to the Chief of SPS of the VA Black Hills Healthcare System - a Complexity 2 facility. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of sterile processing service focused on high level disinfection, sterilization, sterile storage, infection control and prevention, staff education, self‑management, and customer satisfaction throughout the delivery of services provided by SPS.

Responsibilities

• Responsible and accountable for all elements of providing supervision in the SPS program
• Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates outcomes in the SPS program
• Functions as the first‑level supervisor and demonstrates performance and leadership that is broad enough to impact oversight of the department Medical Supply Technicians, Lead Technician, and Reusable Medical Device (RMD) Coordinator
• Provides leadership for critical and semi‑critical RMD – including sterile storage, reprocessing, standard operating procedures (SOP), competency assessment, selection, operation, and maintenance of reprocessing equipment, staff education program for RMDs, and quality management of SPS
• Assists the Chief of SPS with assessing, monitoring, developing, and implementing corrective action plans for instrument processing, decontamination, sterilization, storage, biological monitoring, and high‑level disinfection monitoring through an SPS quality management system
• Maintains knowledge in areas of patient care practices, microbiology, asepsis, disinfection/sterilization processes, adult education, infectious diseases, communication, and program administration
• Engages in specific activities such as education program development, evaluating concepts and project development, mentoring staff and medical providers in sterile processing principles and implementation of projects, data collection techniques, and developing evidence‑based guidelines and protocols

Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non‑citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Experience and/or Education (one of the following):
  • Six months of experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work
  • One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, operating room and surgical technician courses, or other courses related to the position
  • Equivalent combination of experience and education
• Certification: None required
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA qualification standards
• Grade Determinations (GS‑09 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician – Sterile Processing – Assistant Chief):
  • Experience Requirement: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
  • Examples of specialized experience include serving as a first‑level supervisor responsible for oversight of a group of MSTs with administrative responsibility for planning and directing work, holding corrective interviews, referring disciplinary problems, resolving informal complaints, dealing with union representatives, and providing technical supervision
  • KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities):
    • Ability to plan and project staffing needs and requirements
    • Ability to manage, interact, and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds
    • Ability to manage, direct, and adapt work to accomplish program goals and objectives and meet new