Medical Technician; Phlebotomist Omaha, NE

Summary

Incumbent serves as a Medical Technician (Phlebotomist) in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&MLS) at VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE.

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION.

Major Duties:

• Performs blood collection using venipunctures, arterial punctures and capillary finger stick with a minimal number of failures, patient bruising, or required repeat collection, ensuring that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay.
• Identifies tests that require special handling conditions and appropriately performs proper specimen collection.
• Initiates emergency care procedures in the event a patient has a reaction to blood collection procedures including fainting, hematoma, and anxiety.
• Maintains an adequate supply of phlebotomy supplies, and reports shortages to logistics staff or the supervisor for resolution.
• Ensures that only in-date supplies are used, rotates supplies appropriately to minimize waste and discards expired supplies appropriately (biohazard, sharps, or routine waste containers).
• Processes specimens using complex instrumentation such as front-end instrumentation (centrifuges), and transfers specimens to secondary tubes for storage and/or testing.
• Follows laboratory safety policies and regulatory requirements including infection control policies such as hand hygiene, specimen transport, and patient isolation.
• Operates the pneumatic tube system to transport specimens to the main laboratory.
• Properly packages specimens for manual transport between clinic lab and the main laboratory and delivers specimens to the appropriate section of the laboratory as assigned.
• Ensures that specimens are maintained at the proper temperature and conditions to ensure sample integrity (on ice, protected from light), as required by the test ordered.
• Accessions and receipts lab orders for main laboratory and microbiology, removes canceled tests, and reorders testing as needed to correct ordering errors.
• Builds collection lists and has access to patient files and statistics which contain sensitive information.
• Prints patient labels and laboratory collection lists and has access to patient files and statistics which contain sensitive information and operates the lab label printer and troubleshoots problems related to label printing.
• Performs all duties as assigned.

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION:
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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Work Schedule:

Sunday - Saturday, 8 hour shift between 5:00am and 9:30pm with rotating weekends and holidays.

Recruitment & Relocation

Incentives:

Not authorized.

• 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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre‑employment requirements (Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state‑issued identification cards that are not REAL  cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment).
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

English Language Proficiency:
In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

For this Medical Technician, GS-4 position, possess at least six (6) months of general experience, and six (6) months of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. General Experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the…