Intermediate Care Technician (Medical Assistant)

Duties This announcement will be used for filling multiple vacancies for GS-5/6/7 Intermediate Care Technician (Medical Assistant) across the Veterans Health Administration.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)- Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) Program is a program designed to hire former military corpsmen, combat medics and medical technicians into positions at VA Medical Centers as an integral part of the medical team.
ICTs operate within clearly-defined clinical competencies.
For the purposes of this job announcement ICTs may work in multiple clinical settings based on facility needs, these include but are not limited to Primary Care, Specialty Clinics, Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Employee Occupational Health and COVID Screening/Swabbing Stations.
*Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized only for selected locations.
*Primary Care Clinics: The PACT ICT is responsible for providing direct and/or indirect patient care to assigned group of patients.
Will have knowledge, skill and experience to carry out assignments involving point of care testing, providing treatments, vaccinations, performing diagnostic studies and patient/family education.
ICT demonstrates active collaboration and communication.
(all locations).
*Women's Health Clinic: ICT is responsible for providing direct and/or indirect patient care to assigned group of patients.
Will have the knowledge, skill and experience to carry out assignments involving point of care testing, providing treatments and vaccinations, performing diagnostic studies and patient education.
Will also be responsible for chaperoning medical procedures.
Only applicants identifying as female will be considered.
*COVID Screening and Swabbing: ICT is responsible for asking screening questions for COVID and influenza symptoms of patients, visitors, and contractors.
Schedules and location (screening or swabbing) are determined by needs of the VA.
Works in various environments such as parking garage, outside in tents and or offices.
Conducting swabbing/testing for COVID and potentially other illnesses.
Administer intramuscular injection vaccination for vaccination for vaccine clinics.
Swabbing for pre-procedural patients, employees, and unit surveillance.
Swabbing takes place in the covered garage and other outdoor settings.
*Homeless PACT: Works as an integral part of the Homeless PACT Team and provides quality care to homeless Veterans.
The population includes Veterans with a wide array of complex social, mental health, and medical needs.
May be required to travel off site along with the PACT provider to community settings in which patients are seen.
*Relocation/Recruitment Incentive may be authorized.
*Employee Occupational Health tasked with the care of VHA employee's providing physicals for pre-placement, injury, DEMPS, annual requirement for position and work related illness.
EOH cares for injured employee's and follows care through the OWCP process.
Tasked with testing, case management of positive cases, contact tracing and tracking COVID trends within our facility.
Duties include worksite surveillance programs, employee wellness, work-related immunizations and providing a safe work environment.
Staff will primarily be testing employee's for COVID-19 unit base surveillance.
Administering COVID-19 and flu immunizations.
Assisting in clinical triage as needed and other duties.
*Emergency Department tasked with providing patient care in various roles.
Those roles include Float Technician, First Look Technicians and Fast Track.
The ED ICT as First Look Technician will monitor patients in the waiting room and use clinical judgment be watchful for deteriorating patients and escalate their placement in the Emergency Department.
The ED ICT as Float Technician, will assist in the set up, treatment and transport of patients within the Emergency Department.
Other tasks in this role include establishing peripheral intravenous access, lab collection, IV monitoring, medical emergency team responder and numerous other scope-appropriate tasks and procedures.
The ED ICT in Fast Track works under the direction of an NP or an ARNP to treat stable patients that present to the Emergency Department.
Skills include, ECG placement, cardiac monitoring, simple wound closure, casting and splinting, peripheral intravenous access, ordering imaging, and administration of facility-approved IM injections, IV infusions and medications.
Work Schedule: Full Time, Tours of duty vary.
May Include nights, weekends, holidays.
Tours will be discussed by the hiring manager.
Position Description Title/PD#: Intermediate Care Technician (Medical Assistant)/PD99968S, PD99363S, PD99362S, PD99632S, PD99968A, and PD99968A Recruitment/Relocation Incentives: May be authorized for selected services with the highest need.
Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.
S.
citizen to apply for this job Subject to a background/suitability investigation May serve a probationary period Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
5 CFR 330.
502 - General restriction on movement after competitive appointment applies.
Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within the 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
Minimum Qualification: English Language Proficiency: Individuals serving in direct patient care positions must be proficient in [both] spoken and written English as required by 38 U.
S.
C.
7402(d), and 7407(d).
GS-05 grade level: One one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
Specialized experience includes Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.
Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.
Examples of specialized experience: obtaining patient health history, chief complaints, medication history, and identification of health-related conditions that may impact the patient's health status; evaluating patients for emergent/non-emergent medical conditions; ordering and/or performing appropriate diagnostic studies.
(i.
e.
vital signs, EKG, etc.
) Your experience must be detailed in your resume to receive full credit.
OR, Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level.
(TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).
Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position.
GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
Specialized experience includes Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.
Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.
Examples of specialized experience: obtaining patient health history, chief complaints, medication history, and identification of health related conditions that may impact the patient's health status; evaluating patients for emergent/non-emergent medical conditions; ordering and/or performing appropriate diagnostic studies (i.
e.
vital signs, EKG, etc.
); performing interventions based upon patient symptoms and established protocols/standards; assisting in behavioral/psychiatric situations; assisting Physicians with complex, specialized, and potentially-life threatening procedures.
Your experience must be detailed in your resume to receive full credit.
Applicants may not substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level.
(Education substitutions are not applicable at this grade level) GS-07 grade level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
Specialized experience includes Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.
Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled.
Examples of specialized experience: obtaining patient health history, chief complaints, medication history, and identification of health related conditions that may impact the patient's health status; evaluating patients for emergent/non-emergent medical conditions; ordering and/or performing appropriate diagnostic studies (i.
e.
vital signs, EKG, etc.
); performing interventions based upon patient symptoms and established protocols/standards; assisting in behavioral/psychiatric situations; assisting Physicians with complex, specialized, and potentially-life threatening procedures; administration of: Oxygen, Basic IV fluids, nebulized medications, limited PO meds, IM meds/immunizations/vaccines; independently recognized life threatening situations and act to correct these according to established national or facility protocols.
Your experience must be detailed in your resume to receive full credit.
OR, Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level.
(TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).
Successfully completed one (1) full year (18 semester hours) of graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position and have submitted transcripts with my application.
(Transcripts Required) NOTE: As a general rule, education is not creditable above GS-5 for most positions covered by this standard; however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position Preferred Qualification: ICTs are advanced Health Technicians who have graduated from intensive specialized military medical training programs and served as combat medics, medical technicians, and corpsman.
They possess fundamental knowledge, background and experience in emergency medicine, critical care, medical readiness, field medicine, bedside care, and primary care.
Veterans, transitioning servicemembers, National Guard, and Reserve military Corpsmen, Combat Medics, and Medical Technicians interested in Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) positions.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.
g.
, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.
g.
, professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week.
Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities.
Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
Physical Requirements: The work involves extended periods of bending, standing and walking.
The work requires recurring physical exertion with assisting patients.
Work Environment: On a regular and recurring basis, employee is exposed to infection, exposure to communicable diseases and contagious diseases.
The incumbent's assignment requires him/her to comply with special safety and health precautions by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) according to universal precautions.
Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment.
You can verify your education here: https://ope.
ed.
gov/accreditation/.
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education.
Preferred formal education under one of the following: Military Training Records, Transcripts and/or Certifications for medication administration Hold an active and unrestricted Medical Assistant Certification Successfully passed one of the following exams Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA); or Registered Medical Assistant Exam through American Medical Technologists (AMT); or Clinical Medical Assistant Exam through the National Health Career Association (NHA); or National Certified Medical Assistant Exam through the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).
Clinical Medical Assistant Certification Examination through the American Medical Certification Association (AMCA).
Completion of a medical assistant program offered by a school accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) or a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Completion of a medical assistant program offered by a school accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization recognized by the US Department of Education, which includes a minimum of 720 clock hours of training in medical assisting skills, including an externship of no less than 160 hours Additional information Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.
Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.
Other Clinical Settings: Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC)- ICT is responsible for outpatient care settings providing common outpatient services, including health and wellness visits, without the hassle of visiting a larger medical center.
VHA continues to expand the network of CBOCs to include more rural locations, putting access to care closer to home.
Specialty Clinics- ICT is responsible for veterans care in services that includes audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care.
Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.
To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job.
Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.
opm.
gov/.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Benefits A career with the U.
S.
government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.
WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Benefits A career with the U.
S.
government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Required Documents As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits.
Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee.
You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) OF-306 Medical Assistant Certification/Official Transcript Other (2) Other (3) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Documents Required: Medical Assistant Certification/Official Transcript Resume Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
You will not be contacted for additional information.
Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online.
Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/29/2024 to receive consideration.
To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.
usastaffing.
gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12184430.
1.
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.
usajobs.
gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position.
The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application.
Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement.
You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Agency contact information Maria Dela Cruz Phone 253-582-8440 X75434 Email Mariaconcepcion.
delacruz@va.
gov Address VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US Next steps After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.
After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
Fair and Transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent.
Please read the following guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Reasonable accommodation policy Financial suitability Selective Service New employee probationary period Signature and false statements Privacy Act Social security number request Required Documents Documents Accepted: Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) OF-306 Medical Assistant Certification/Official Transcript Other (2) Other (3) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Documents Required: Medical Assistant Certification/Official Transcript Resume Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.
Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
You will not be contacted for additional information.
Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply.
Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online.
Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.
Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.
S.
Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Help This job is open to Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL) Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
The public U.
S.
Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.
S.
Clarification from the agency ALL US CITIZENS.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.
201) for this occupation.
(Updated: Currently locations with open vacancies are: Walla Walla- PACT/ Women's Health, Seattle- PACT/ED/COVID Screening, American Lake/Tacoma- COVID screening/Women Health Clinic)