Health Technician – Veterans Affairs Careers

Position Summary:

These duties will be performed under the direct supervision of a Podiatric surgeon. These responsibilities require a high degree of manual dexterity and accuracy. An understanding of the anatomy of the musculoskeletal system, basic podiatric terminology, and basic medical science is needed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Obtaining patient history with emphasis on self-care abilities, availability of assistance from family members, allergies to systemic and topical medications, and current medical conditions and medications.
• Under the supervision of the Podiatric staff the technician will be involved in direct patient care by performing and documenting the following procedures and tasks.
  • Application and removal and/or fiberglass casts, splints, orthotic devices, strapping, braces, therapeutic devices and compression dressings.
  • Application and removal of surgical dressings, to include Unna paste, Gel casts and performance of wound irrigations as needed.
  • Removal of sutures from surgical wounds.
  • Application of a variety of traction devices.
  • Patient instruction is the care of casts and splints.
  • Patient instruction in the use of canes, crutches, cam-walkers and walkers.
  • The technician will fill requests for scheduling surgery and send them to the operating room.
• The technician assists the podiatrist in a variety of specialized treatments, surgical procedures and clinic procedures to include nail care, nail trimming, corn and callous care and wound care under supervision. The technician receives and prepares patient for examinations and treatment, prepares the outpatient procedure room for appropriate foot clinical procedures, ensures necessary supplies, instruments and materials are present, establishes required instruments, field and assists as scrub technician or as circulator.
• Assuring that all temporary personnel assigned to the podiatric clinics are properly incorporated into the daily functioning of the clinic.
• Performance of minor repairs and routine maintenance, cleaning and sterilization of all podiatric equipment.
• Arrangements for major repairs of equipment when necessary.
  Maintaining podiatric clinic files. Recording and retrieving laboratory data, xrays and medical media slides and photos.

Required Education & Experience: