This position is located in the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, West Palm Beach, Florida. The incumbent Accepts and supports the guiding principles of this Medical Center. Performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of an environment committed to serving the veteran. This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until 12/31/23 or until filled. 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: Citizenship. Citizenship of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) b. Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions. c. Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. d. Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 Hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the 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 the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. ? 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. e. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. The work involves considerable bending, positioning of patients and heavy equipment, assisted lifting of patients in and out of bed, occasional lifting of small boxes and considerable effort in pushing the Echocardiogram machine to the intensive care units for portable studies. Looking at the echocardiographic monitor for an extended period of time is required. f. English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. GRADE REQUIREMENTS GS-08 Echocardiography Technicians operate diagnostic equipment to graphically record the position and motion of the heart walls or the internal structure of the heart and neighboring tissue by the echo obtained from beams of ultrasonic waves directed through the chest wall. Registration is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI), as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS). (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct diagnostic echocardiography examinations in complex and unusual cases. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: MUST demonstrate ALL of these on your resume. 1. Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display, and color-flow Doppler imaging. 2. Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases. 3. Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves, chamber enlargement, and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves, etc. 4. Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography. 5. Ability to adapt transducer positioning, instrument controls, and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings. (c) Certification. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable. (d) Assignment. This represents the full performance level. Echocardiography technicians at this level identify and record anomalies indicative of disease, injury, or other medically significant condition from ultrasound imaging and simultaneous recordings of the Doppler. They incorporate the causes and results of a variety of symptoms and conditions into a plan of ultrasonic diagnostic examination. They change and develop sounding techniques to accommodate such variables as limited patient mobility, variation in physical condition or dimension of the patient, presence of prosthesis or foreign objects, and ultrasonic response of different body parts. They produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler ultrasound. References: VA Handbook 5005/117, Part II, Appendix G27, dated March 17, 2006. Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography) GS-0649. http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdf this can be found in the local Human Resources Office. ["The position of Echocardiography Technician is established to perform and valuate M-Mode, 2 dimensional, 3 dimensional and continuous wave and Colo Doppler Echocardiographic studies and Transesophageal echocardiography. The incumbent must ensure compliance with VA regulations, JCAHO standards and other regulatory agencies. The employee must possess the personal qualities, desire, and attitude necessary to adapt to rapidly changing demands on time and an ability to quickly acquire needed skills to perform assigned tasks. The purpose of the position is to improve the quality and timeliness by which basic services are delivered to the patients. Assignments at this level include, but are not limited to; Accepts and supports the guiding principles of this Medical Center Communicates clearly with other team members to facilitate activities Has a thorough functional knowledge of various VA directives and Medical center policies pertinent to patient care The incumbent must have good organizational skills. The incumbent is responsible for establishing operational policies for the laboratory as well as maintaining quality assurance. The incumbent is required to relay information to physicians when needed and provide diagnostic assistance and evaluation of the equipment and technique for testing, when needed. Assures that studies are of such quality that optimal diagnostic information is required. Independently and accurately measures cardiac dimensions areas, flow rates and other derived echocardiographic and Doppler parameters using digital echocardiographic analysis computers. Records single bean echocardiographic instrument interfaced with multi-channel oscilloscope and strip-chart recorder. The technician is responsible for selecting appropriate images for documentation. Examines through the use of Doppler signals flow through cardiac chambers and valves. Uses standard 2 Dimensional echocardiographic imaging enhanced by ultrasonic contrast agents rapidly injected into an intracardiac catheter or angio catheter (standard N) for evaluation of left to right or right to left intracardiac shunts, tricuspid regurgitation and myocardial perfusion. Records 2 Dimensional images using a special transesophageal echo probe, which is inserted down the patient's esophagus allowing enhanced imaging of cardiac structures which were otherwise difficult or impossible to image using standard non-invasive, 2 Dimensional echocardiographic techniques. Using the ultrasound computer package, the technician obtains approximate ejection fractions, volume measurements, cardia output, etc. The technician consults the physician as needed for technical assistance and makes recommendations concerning modifications to procedures and studies. Coordinates the work schedule of the laboratory including inpatients and outpatients in order to maximize work outpatients and to assure proper patient care. Recognizes evidence of cardiac emergency and takes appropriate action including notification of a physician and initiating BLS as needed. The incumbent is responsible for maintaining an adequate inventory of supplies and arranging of repairs and maintenance of equipment as necessary. The technician provides guidance for initial interpretation adequacy of study and recommendations concerning alternative views. Develops estimates of budget requirements to purchase supplies. Differentiates between normal and abnormal findings. Has basic understanding of other diagnostic techniques used in cardiology such as Nuclear imaging, stress testing and EKG as data from these studies is often used in conjunction with echocardiographic findings to confirm the presence of cardiac conditions. Maintains BCLS certification. Assists with CQI activities and continuous improvement of workflow. Complies with all OSHA safety/fire prevention rules/regulations, using protective equipment when required. Reports broken/unsafe equipment and removes all hazardous items from use. Attends scheduled training sessions and participates in facility or service level safety promotions as directed by supervisor. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

Return to Search Results