Position Summary:
Located at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, the incumbent will be assigned to work in the Emergency Department (ED), supervised by the ED Nurse Manager. The Healthcare Technician (HCT) is a highly specialized position, providing both clinical and administrative support while performing duties traditionally done by multiple staff in other services and sections.
Key Responsibilities:
- Measures and records the following vital signs in CPRS vital signs package and notify assigned RN or provider: Temperature (oral, rectal, or temporal), pulse, respirations, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and pain level.
- Containment and Decontamination of patients infested with bedbugs and other insects.
- Empties dirty linen hampers and replaces with new plastic linen bag.
- Performs 12 lead EKGS and gives to provider for review within 10 minutes.
- Delivers laboratory specimens as needed.
- Cleans dirty reusable medical equipment and properly identifies equipment as cleaned.
- Inserts peripheral intravenous access devices and documents catheter gauge inserted, location, and time of insertion as addendum to Emergency Department Acute Member Note in CPRS.
- Performs or assists RN with personal care, such as body and oral hygiene, dressing/undressing, and toileting/elimination-ensuring patient privacy at all times.
- Transports non-monitored patients to tests, assigned inpatient medical units, or to their vehicles in parking garage/ambulance entrance.
- Obtains extra wheelchairs and stretchers as needed.
- Usage of safe handling and movement portable and ceiling lift equipment.
- Assists RN with enema administration; transfers and ambulation of patients; post mortem care and morgue transfers, etc.
- Stocks bedside carts and cabinets in treatment rooms and checks for expired supplies.
- Strips and cleans vacated hallway stretchers.
- Performs Multifunction Cardiogram (MCG) under direction of Provider or RN.
- Performs venipunctures, labels and sends specimens to lab; glucometer checks and notifies assigned RN or provider of results.
Required Education & Experience:
- You may be required to serve a probationary period
- Subject to background/security investigation
- Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to patient personal care/safety tasks, nursing assistance, cleaning/stocking of supplies, patient escort duties, collection of various patient biohazard materials to aid in diagnosis, care continuum in emergency medicine, and care continuum in emergency medicine.
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
- All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959