The Washington DC VA Medical Center Sterile Processing Department supports direct patient care by ensuring proper reprocessing, maintenance, and storage of critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) throughout the medical center in compliance with nation and local policy and procedure. The Medical Supply Technician (MST) for Sterile Processing is responsible for the decontamination, sterilization, and packaging of critical and semi-critical RME. 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: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Experience and/or Education: Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. 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). All Medical Supply Technicians (MSTs) that are 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, 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: Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. MSTs 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. MSTs who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS-06 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. 3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures. 4. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation. 5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures. Assignment. This is the full performance level for the occupation. Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions. Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors. Preferred Experience: Three years of Sterile Processing experience. References: Handbook 5005/83, Part II, Appendix G47 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-06. Physical Requirements: The work requires constant physical effort in the receipt, reprocessing, storage and issue of RME, folding of linen items, assembling trays, pans, and case carts, inserting and retrieving loaded sterilized carts from the autoclaves. Hand and eye coordination is required in the disassembly and reassembling of equipment. The worker is exposed to long periods of standing, bending and walking while reprocessing reusable medical equipment. Frequent requirement for the lifting of RME, trays and cartons from storage shelves to carts. Incumbent regularly uses case carts in the delivery of supplies and instruments to the clinical areas within the Medical Center. Material weighs up to 40 pounds. ["The Medical Supply Technician-Sterile Processing is responsible for receiving contaminated critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions. Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors. Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. Incumbent has a clear understanding of the importance of reprocessing RME according to manufacturer guidelines and the significant impact on the Veteran population through the risk of infectious disease. Other primary duties include but are not limited to: - Utilizes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as required.\n- Responsible for the collection, receipt, inspection, cleaning and decontamination processing of soiled instruments, equipment, and apparatus to include complex diagnostic equipment and medical apparatus.\n- Completely and thoroughly dissembles and positions all parts of complex technical RME to ensure the removal of any debris, surgical soil and bio-burdens prior to sterilization or high level disinfection.\n- Performs required leak tests to endoscopic equipment to determine that the water tight integrity of the scope is intact before initiating the cleaning and high level disinfection process.\n- Performs multi-step procedures to effectively reprocess endoscopes, i.e. cystoscopes, ureteroscopes, bronchoscopes, colonoscopes, and other various endoscopic instruments. - Operates decontamination equipment such as washer decontaminators, ultrasonic washers, automatic endoscope reprocessors, equipment irrigators, laparoscopic insulation tester, automatic cart wash, and tube dryers, etc.\n- Uses, interprets and records results from quality assurance monitors, i.e. Ruhof ATP Complete ATP tester system, All-Clean washer disinfector validation system, etc.\n- Performs and validates all cleaning of instrumentation and RME through the use of department SOPs, manufacturer's instructions for use guidelines, Medical Center Memorandums, and VA policies and directives, along with industry standards published by organizations such as, Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM), American National Standard/Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (ANSI/AMMI), Association of peri-operative Registered Nurses (AORN), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), etc.\n- Reads and understands Material Data Safety Sheets.\n- Performs inspection, assembly, packaging, and terminal sterilization of all trays, sets, and packs for use throughout the medical center.\n- Determines the criticality category of RME using the Spaulding Classification System and interprets sterilization parameters provided by the manufacturer's instructions for use guidelines to determine the proper method of sterilization. Work Schedule: Available tours are Sunday from 11pm to 0730 am Monday - Friday: 7:00 am-3:30 pm; 3:00 pm-11:30 pm, 11:00 pm-7:30 am based on shift availability.\nTelework: Not authorized for this position.\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position. Not authorized for this position.\nFunctional Statement #: Medical Supply Technician-Sterile Processing\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized for this position.\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized for this position.\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]