Job Summary

The Medical Instrument Technician-Gastroenterology (MIT-GI) is assigned to the GI Lab, which is organizationally responsible to Nursing Services. Under the supervision of the Chief Gastroenterologist and GI physicians, the MIT-GI functions as a member of the nursing support staff in the care of patients in acute, sub-acute, critical care and out-patient areas. The MIT-GI is an integral member of the GI Lab.

Job Description

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.) 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. 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. 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: Medical Instrument Technician (GI) For GS-7 Gastroenterology (GI) Technician (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which provided knowledge of proper performance of endoscopic equipment and procedures. Qualifying experience is defined as: Proficient with GI endoscopic equipment and ensuring proper performance of endoscopic equipment. Selecting alternate equipment or adjusting equipment settings to accommodate patient needs and produce high quality technique. Collecting, processing, and labeling all specimens. Training other technicians in basic endoscopic procedures. Working inside and outside the GI unit offering technician support during emergent and endoscopic cases. Taking inventory and maintaining par levels of specialty equipment for the endoscopy unit. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1. Knowledge of endoscopic equipment and use in basic and complex endoscopic procedures. 2. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology related to the GI system, with ability to recognize and report obvious abnormalities during procedures. 3. Ability to assist physician with specialized, complex procedures. 4. Knowledge of universal precautions and disinfection techniques and ability to follow SOP's to clean reusable medical equipment (RME). 5. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service skills and interpersonal skills with all healthcare professionals to ensure quality and continuity of care. 6. Ability to use basic computer systems and programs to record patient and endoscopic data, adhering to patient privacy and information security policies. 7. Ability to deliver patient care, including vital sign measurements and medication administration. Certification. No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BLS certification. Preferred Experience: Preferred GI Lab technician experience or equivalent. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The population of male and female Veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly, age 65 or over. Tennessee Valley Nashville Campus is a major interdisciplinary teaching facility, serving medical, surgical, and neurological inpatients and outpatients. There is a large outpatient psychiatric population, with admissions with co-morbidities. The position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long period of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, pulling, bending, lifting more than 10 pounds, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The MIT may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The MIT may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The MIT must be mature, flexible, sensible individuals capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs and the needs of the service.