Medical Instrument Technician; Echocardiography

Summary

The Medical Instrument Technician (Echo) serves within the Nursing Interventional Service Line of the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System. The VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System encompasses both inpatient and outpatient areas. Incumbent is responsible for all Echocardiograms - Stress Echos - Transesophageal Echo's - and contrast Imaging performed at the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System.

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.

• 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:
  Medical Instrument Technician (GI) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• 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)
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS 08
  
  Experience:
  
  At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS 07) which demonstrates the knowledge - skills - and abilities related to the duties of the position
• Experiences to include but not limited to the following: scans transthoracic echocardiograms in all views with colorflow and some Doppler - conducts cardiac testing to determine the severity and variety of cardiac problems - i.e.
  
  - valvular dysfunction - myocardial wall kinesia - effusions - endocardial lesions - etc.
  
  - knowledge of the set-up for transesophageal echocardiograms - sets up and adjusts the ultrasound equipment to meet the conditions of the examination and the patient and to operate the equipment for more complex - but standardized procedures
• In addition to the above experience - the candidate must demonstrate the following knowledge - skills and abilities (KSA): a
• Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode - two-dimensional - pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display - and colorflow Doppler imaging
• b
• Knowledge of normal echo cardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases
• c
• 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…