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Summary The Surgical Technician (ST) functions as a member of the surgical team and aids the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The ST participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team. The VA ambulatory surgery unit is a joint venture with Department of Defense and is located at the US Air Force Academy (10th MDG), and Evans Army Community Hospital at Fort Carson, Colorado Springs, CO. Responsibilities Major duties include but are not limited to: Assisting surgical team with patient positioning, prepping, and setting up the operative field Recognizing changes in patient condition and takes appropriate actions in response to the situation Providing guidance and support to staff regarding infection control and patient safety protocol Planning and discussing each procedure with surgical professionals to determine proper positioning and assurances of all supplies/equipment are available Assisting the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures Preparing prosthesis and/or surgical devices during procedures Assisting in training staff in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and operating room/surgical procedures Preparing, organizing, and maintaining highly complex sterile surgical setups Utilizing universal precautions to protect patients and staff from exposure to any infectious materials Following all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment Monitoring and maintaining sterile practices throughout surgical procedures Cleaning and sterilizing surgical equipment using appropriate methods, germicides and sterilizers Anticipating the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:30am - 3:00pm Position Description Title/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD11576A 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 prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. Incumbent 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. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for Health Aid and Technician Series 0640:Specialized Experience: 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. And Driver's License: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License. And Specialized Experience for GS-07 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Assisting the surgeon by performing such procedures as: preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures; Assisting in training staff in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and operating room/surgical procedures; Setting up sterile field with all required items (equipment, instruments, supplies and/or devices) for each procedure; Assisting surgical team members to identify and implement performance improvement measures; Performs sharps, sponge, and instrument counts of surgical items before and after surgical procedures OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level (Transcripts Required). To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 1 full year of graduate level education NOTE: Must have successfully completed one full year of graduate education (18 semester hours or equivalent) in course matter with a major that included courses directly related to the work of the Health Technician position. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-07 level (Transcripts Required). You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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. 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: http://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. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information. The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. 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/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.