Summary

The Nuclear Medicine Technologist works for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Imaging Service with the responsibility for performing routine - specialized - and new radionuclide studies for the diagnosis - treatment - and investigation of pathological disorders.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Certification: All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N)
• NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following: (1) Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program - OR (2)Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology(JRCNMT) - or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) - culminating in a certificate - associate - baccalaureate - or master's degree
• Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety - instrumentation - clinical procedures - and radio-pharmacy - as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB
• NOTE: Technologists functioning as multi-modality technologists require additional specific certifications as stated in assignment descriptions below
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: Nuclear Medicine Technologist - GS-0601-11 Experience
• For assignments above the journey level - the candidate must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled - and must fully meet the KSAs at that level
• Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: The candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical KSAs: i
• Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results
• ii
• Knowledge and skill in use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome
• iii
• Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings
• iv
• Ability to obtain - assess - and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose
• v
• Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures
• vi
• Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce
• vii
• Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions
• Preferred Experience: 5 years of experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
• Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
• the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
• However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The duties of the Nuclear Medicine Technologist include but are not limited to: Performance of Nuclear Medicine Imaging: Perform a full range of nuclear medicine diagnostic imaging - non-imaging - in-vitro and therapeutic procedures - including highly specialized computer assisted studies such as gated - planer and tomographic (SPECT) technique - quantitative procedures - operating nuclear medicine equipment such as gamma cameras - well counters - GM survey meters - thyroid uptake system - and dose calibrators for various patient procedures
• Performs a wide variety of functional imaging studies of organs/systems
• Performs computer acquisition and analysis of data utilizing a variety of computers
• Selects and modifies programs to acquire patient studies per protocol
• Analyzes all imaging studies - in vitro - and research studies for image quality discerning whether additional images are needed before presenting to staff physician
• Be knowledgeable in three-dimensional anatomy
• Performs in vivo and in vitro studies using a variety of laboratory manipulations such as dilutions - centrifuging - accurate pipetting - specimen collecting - etc
• Uses microscopes - centrifuges - calibrated pipettes - and computer programs to examine - calculate - analyze and report testing results
• Prepares - assay - and administers radiopharmaceutical doses by injection - inhalation or ingestion as prescribed
• preparing appropriate dosages - ensuring pharmaceutical quality of agents - ensuring that patients receive correct amounts of radioactivity - determining proper route of administration - administering radiopharmaceuticals intravenously to patients - determining need for and performing specialized injection techniques and assisting physicians in administering therapeutic amounts of radioactivity
• Recognizes and responds to adverse reactions or side effects from administered pharmaceuticals and radiopharmaceuticals
• Prepares imaging - counting - and ancillary equipment for patient use
• Calibrates imaging cameras - by means of testing flood uniformity - linearity - spatial resolution with devices such as point sources - radioactive flood field sources - barphantoms - orthogonal hole phantoms - and ECT phantoms
• Performs daily calibration of energy settings of gamma cameras
• Ascertains the accuracy of dose calibrators - well counters - and uptake units by checking the linearity of unit response with standard calibrated radionuclide sources
• Routinely checks the operational status of complex ancillary equipment such as cardiac treadmills - microhematocrit units - GM counters - centrifuges - automated film processors - transparency film duplication devices - and radioactive gas traps
• Radiation Safety Procedures: In the absence of the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) and supervisor - performs all specifications of the station's radiation safety program including receipt and monitoring of radioactive shipments - conducts and records results of all necessary radiation surveys using wipe testing - FM counters and rad meters
• Perform required technical procedures for safe receipt - handling - transport - usage and disposal of radioactive materials - assuring compliance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) - National Health Physics Program (NHPP) - Department of Transportation (DOT) and license conditions
• Understand different precautions used based upon the various package types
• Performs the proper quality control procedures and checks the doses in the dose calibrator
• Properly disposes of radioactive materials or containers and executes all necessary paperwork to maintain compliance with the station's NRC license
• Recognize potential radiation contamination by visual and mechanical methods
• Take necessary actions to minimize contamination and exposure to self - public and coworkers
• Assist the RSO by performing exposure pattern studies - decontamination of personnel - equipment and patients
• Associated duties: Schedules patients from inpatient - outpatient - and outside hospital referrals with judgment as to the equipment parameters needed for each individual patient or study
• This will include scheduling the patients - patient preparation - as well as actual imaging
• Accurately performs all documentation and record keeping related to each examination
• This includes case register and edit in VISTA - CPRS progress notes - IMED consent - dose documentation - quality assurance records of equipment and radiopharmaceuticals - radioactive materials disposal records - and archival of image data on appropriate medium and to PACs
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm
• Subject to change based on the needs of the facility
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 598-00428-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized