This is a part-time surgical technician position located in the Perioperative Patient Care Center at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY. This position functions in an advanced capacity, the full performance level of a Surgical technician, which is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Professional Certification Required: Certified Surgical Certificate Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06.The grade may have been in any occupation but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Specialized experience for GS-06: You must have 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Preparing sterile fields for surgical procedures. Monitoring and maintaining aseptic techniques throughout surgical procedures. Handling medical instruments, supplies, and equipment during surgical procedures. Performing proper cleaning techniques. Handling and rotation of sterile supplies. Properly handling contaminated items and applying knowledge of universal precautions. Implementing infection control policies and procedures. OR Education for GS-06 - Must have successfully completed one-half year of graduate education (9 semester hours or equivalent), or an internship in course matter with a major that included courses directly related to the work of the Health Technician position. OR Combination of Specialized Experience and Education for GS-06: Must have an equivalent combination of related graduate level education and specialized experience to meet the total experience requirements. Specialized Experience for GS-07: You must have 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 is defined as experience performing work as a surgical technician, operating room assistant, or surgical technologist performing scrub duties for all inpatient and outpatient surgical procedure; setting up for the surgical procedure; assembling equipment and supplies as well as monitoring and maintaining aseptic techniques throughout the procedure; coordinating or participating in the positioning and prepping of patients and obtaining supplies; specimen handling; and assisting the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin graphs, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples and cuffing sutures. OR Education for GS-07 - Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR Combining Experience and Education for GS-07 - Combination of specialized experience and education is acceptable. Education must be in excess of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). 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. ["The advanced Surgical Technician performs the following major duties: Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as : open heart, thoracic, major vascular, neurosurgery, microsurgery, total joint replacement, renal transplant and robotic surgery. Sets up sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operation room supplies and equipment. Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure. Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups. Observes and responds to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeons by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time. Utilizes universal precautions and follows all Infection Control Policies and Procedures when handling specimens, supplies and equipment. Assist team members with care of the patient, i.e. positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies. Handles all specimens appropriately. In conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse (RN), perform sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy. Assist surgeons by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures. Prepare prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures. Work Schedule: Part-Time, Monday and Wednesday, 7:30am to 6 pm Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Surgical Technician)/ PD#52410A Professional Certification Required: Certified Surgical Certificate Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolong stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. The surgical technician must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon. 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."]

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