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Summary The position of the Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) Technician is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) under the Nursing & Patient Care Service at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center located in Chicago, Illinois. This position serves as an advanced technician for the Inpatient and Outpatient Nursing Operations for administrative and clinical functions to provide high-quality patient. Responsibilities Full Performance GS-07 Duties include but may not be limited to the following: Conducting physical inventories of general equipment, ensuring that all Bar Code Administration (BCMA( software and hardware (e.g., scanners, computer on wheels and printers) is functioning properly. Monitoring and verifying the functionality and operations of the Bar Code Backup Unit (BCBU).Collaborate with Nursing, Biomed, and IT Operations and Services (ITOPS) staff to resolve technical problems promptly Assists in conducting training sessions for employees on evaluating and maintaining BCMA hardware and software operations Utilize troubleshooting guides to resolve BCMA issues and will escalate work orders to Biomed and/or IT if they are unable to resolve the issue Maintain a list of submitted work orders, monitor their status, and be responsible for coordinating their resolution and report status of workorders to BCMA Coordinator for further review and action Serves as a liaison between the Nursing, Biomed, and IT departments to facilitate smooth BCMA operations Communicate any issues or unit/ward downtime promptly to BCMA Coordinator Provide updates on status of equipment with work orders to staff and provide contingency plans until the equipment is fully functioning Develop justifications and/or provide recommendations for budget and purchase of equipment, supplies, and materials related to BCMA operations Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm with scheduling flexibility required. May be required to provide coverage to all tours if needed Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (BCMA)/PD252460 Physical Requirements: The work requires a level of physical fitness that allows standing for extended periods, heavy lifting to move equipment and supplies up to 25 pounds. The work will require recurrent bending, lifting, stooping, standing, squatting, stretching, sitting and walking. Work Environment:: work primarily in a healthcare setting, which may involve exposure to infectious diseases. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) as required. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. 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: Communication and interpersonal relations, including the ability to appropriately and courteously relate to internal and external customers; Maintenance of confidentiality of patient/employee information, electronic and print; Hospital's performance improvement programs; Work and function in the Hospital in a safe manner, including infection control and the correct operation of equipment; Age-specific care, as identified in the Age-Specific Competencies, including knowledge of changes associated with aging and principles of growth and development relevant to the adult and geriatric age groups; Practical knowledge and understanding of the Bar Code Medication Administration system, including hardware (e.g. scanners and printers) and software. Proficiency in using and troubleshooting Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) equipment. Basic understanding of pharmacy operations and medication administration processes. Familiarity with medication, safety protocols, and guidelines. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level. Education: To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed one full year of graduate education (18 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. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. (Transcripts Required). OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-07 level. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate level education that equals the total amount of required experience. (Transcripts required) 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. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2 year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your 1 year probationary period (OR 2 year "trial period"), your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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.