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Summary This position is located in the Nursing and Patience Care Service. The purpose of the position is to perform highly specialized duties in patient care. Birmingham VA Medical Center will be utilizing Healthcare Technicians to deliver patient care. Healthcare Technicians will be assigned to nursing teams. The incumbent is responsible for interacting with others in a manner that fosters favorable relations as set forth in the medical center policy on Human Relations. Responsibilities At the GS-5 and GS-6 level the incumbent will serve in a developmental assignment to provide the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the full range of duties as described in the target position description. Duties are same as at the full performance level GS-07; however, work will be gradually increased as incumbent acquires the requisite skill and knowledge to perform work until position is at full performance level. The position is responsible for processing orders, etc., in an ambulatory care setting; and for release of information.- Supporting duties usually assigned to nursing staff, such as charting and obtaining vital signs - blood pressure, temperature, respirations, pulse, etc.;- Collecting and delivering specimens, such as urine, blood, stool and cultures from body fluids, to the lab following proper infection control policies;- Assisting patient with dressing and undressing for medical examination, if needed;- Perform EKG's with a portable machine;- Coordinating the scheduling of outpatient appointments for team providers;- Coordinating and monitoring special program evaluations and ensuring the timely processing of claims for compensation and pension, Persian Gulf, Agent Orange, former Prisoners-of-War (POW's), etc.;- Assisting team staff to obtain laboratory, radiology, etc., reports from DHCP- Assisting team staff to update the problem list for each episode of care- Demonstrates or verbalizes knowledge of age-related needsDetermines eligibility for benefits (inpatient, ambulatory care, medications, pharmacy co-pay, beneficiary travel, eye dental, prosthetics, etc.) normally done by the Eligibility Clerk or Supervisor;- Coordinates consultations within the facility and with other facilities;- Coordinates fee service referrals required for specialty care patients;- Entering stop codes for all outpatient episodes of care normally done in admitting or clinic area;- Determines eligibility for benefits (inpatient, ambulatory care, medications, pharmacy co-pay, beneficiary travel, eye dental, prosthetics, etc.) normally done by the Eligibility Clerk or Supervisor;- Coordinates consultations within the facility and with other facilities;- Coordinates fee service referrals required for specialty care patients;- Entering stop codes for all outpatient episodes of care normally done in admitting or clinic area;Acts in the capacity of liaison/expeditor between patients and specialty care members, as well as other practice groups, specialty services, and ancillary services. Ensures coding references are updated as changes occur. Enters level of care provided (extensive, intermediate, or brief visit) and CPT-4 codes for diagnoses of all outpatient visits. This information is vital to the medical center's collection goals and funding allocation. Transcribes physicians' orders. This includes, but is not limited to, ordering diagnostic tests, processing admissions, requesting medical records from other facilities, and processing Veterans' requests for medical information from VA records, etc. Coordinates patients' consultations and referrals to other specialty services and schedules patients for future appointments in accordance with the physician's clinic profile and input from the patient. Keeps the specialty care team up to date on appropriate administrative regulations which include eligibility for care, control of medical records, availability and requesting special tests and procedures, etc. Incumbent must analyze, interpret, and implement regulations accurately to reflect current operating procedures and be familiar with precedents concerning changes in regulations or policies. Patient education may be involved. Assures that the primary care physician is aware of the time that clinics begin and works with team members to ensure that patients are seen in a timely manner. Performs other related duties as assigned. 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. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (Subject to change based on agency needs). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD09450A/09451A/09452A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: Generally, the work does not involve special physical demands. Duties are performed in several medical center areas and incumbent must be able to travel to treatment areas with ease. There is the potential for extended periods of sitting, standing, and carrying items weighing up to 20 pounds, i.e., pen-based computing devices, medical records, and manuals. You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/13/2025. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-5: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-4 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: Performing simple treatment procedures such as changing sterile dressings and applying slings or bandages; Using techniques to appropriately de-escalate disruptive patients; Instructing patients and families the requirements of home self-care for injuries or ailments; Observing patients and reporting changes in condition (deviation in color, pulse, respiration, temperature, and blood pressure. OR Education GS-5: You must have a bachelor's degree or 4 years above high school education. (Transcripts Required) OR Combination GS-5: You must have a combination of experience and education. (Transcripts Required) Specialized Experience GS-6: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the competencies/particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position successfully that is equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-5) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as but are not limited to: Performing simple treatment procedures such as changing sterile dressings and applying slings or bandages; Using techniques to appropriately de-escalate disruptive patients; Instructing patients and families the requirements of home self-care for injuries or ailments; Observing patients and reporting changes in condition (deviation in color, pulse, respiration, temperature, and blood pressure); Interviewing patients to document complaint, medical history, and personnel information. OR Education GS-6: You must have graduate education or an internship that meets the specialized experience required directly related to the work of the position. (Transcripts Required) OR Combination GS-6: You must have a combination of experience and education. (Transcripts Required) Specialized Experience GS-7: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the competencies/particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of this position successfully that is equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-6) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as but are not limited to: Performing simple treatment procedures such as changing sterile dressings and applying slings or bandages; Using techniques to appropriately de-escalate disruptive patients; Instructing patients and families the requirements of home self-care for injuries or ailments; Observing patients and reporting changes in condition (deviation in color, pulse, respiration, temperature, and blood pressure); Interviewing patients to document complaint, medical history, and personnel information; Taking and recording vital signs; Documenting electronic patient medical records; Performing blood glucose testing; Perform EKG's with a portable machine. OR Education GS-7: You must have one full year of graduate education. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. (Transcripts required). OR Combination GS-7: You must have a combination of experience and education. (Transcripts Required) For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act." Receiving Service Credit or 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. 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 qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.