Job Summary

The primary purpose of the position of Vascular Technician is to operate diagnostic equipment using ultrasound to record vascular information such as vascular blood flow, blood pressure, limb volume changes, oxygen saturation, cerebral circulation, peripheral circulation, and abdominal circulation.

Job Description

Basic Requirements: Citizenship: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. 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. 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: GS-4 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the KSA's related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. In addition, must also demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 1. Knowledge of basic medical terminology. 2. Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used. 3. Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress. 4. Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted.5. Ability to communicate orally and in writing. OR, Education. Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation. GS-5 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the KSA's related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. In addition, the candidate must also demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions. 2. Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment. 3. Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities. 4. Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures. 5. Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine. OR Education. Successful completion of 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions. GS-6 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the KSA's and duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform routine, standardized vascular ultrasound procedures where the technician is not expected to deviate from established procedures. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to perform standardized, routine vascular ultrasound procedures and/or examinations of upper and lower extremity, abdominal, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular vessels. 2. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology including location and function of major body organs and structures as they relate to vascular ultrasonography. 3. Ability to prepare preliminary reports from the examination including documentation of procedural difficulties in the medical record. GS-7 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the KSAs related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which demonstrates that the technician has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform complex procedures requiring the ability to select appropriate equipment based on symptomology and the objective of the examination and the ability to adapt procedures and techniques to enhance diagnostic results. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to perform noninvasive vascular ultrasound procedures or examinations of upper and lower extremity, abdominal, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular vessels which require adaptation of procedures or instruments. 2. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology including location and function of major body organs and structures as they relate to vascular ultrasonography. This would also include knowledge of physiological influences on the hemodynamics of blood flow. 3. Knowledge of pharmacology and chemistry to understand drug reactions, action, effects, and method of administration specifically related to vascular ultrasonography. 4. Knowledge of disease entities that impact the vascular system and their influence on the test results to select the appropriate procedures. 5. Ability to obtain a patient history and perform and appropriate physical assessment based on patient presentation and type of exam to include observation, inspection, auscultation, and palpation. Assignment. At the GS-7 level the medical instrument technician (vascular) is expected to perform complex noninvasive vascular testing for diagnostic purposes. These procedures are performed with a variety of testing equipment and modalities to include B mode scanning, duplex imaging, Doppler spectral analysis, photoplethysmography, and upper and lower extremity, digit, and pensile blood pressures. The technician must be able to deviate from normal technique when necessary. GS-8 Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the KSA's and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform noninvasive vascular ultrasound procedures as a senior technician. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of cross-sectional and longitudinal vascular anatomy in normal and abnormal vessels, anatomical planes and tissue structures, physiologic effects of disease entities that impact the vascular system, signs and symptoms of acute and chronic vascular disease, and the characteristic appearance of aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, thromboses, stenoses, occlusions, AV fistulae, and morphology of atherosclerotic plaque formulation. 2. Ability to provide Doppler information of peripheral vessels; demonstrate characteristic differences related to the organs they supply; accurately quantify carotid artery stenoses; and identify and correlate specific waveform analysis, plethysmographic tracings, velocity changes, and pressure gradients characteristic of normal, obstructed, or occluded vessels or grafts. 3. Ability to perform intracranial (transcranial) vascular examinations. 4. Ability to operate the instruments to extract the highest quality image utilizing the appropriate transducer frequency, Doppler angle, focal zones, gain, depth, color map, wall filter, and sample volume. 5. Ability to provide objective data to document progression or regression of disease. Additional qualifications are listed in Additional Information.