Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography)

Echocardiography technicians record anomalies indicative of disease, injury, or other medically significant condition from ultrasound imaging and simultaneous recordings of the Doppler. They incorporate the causes and results of a variety of symptoms and conditions into a plan of ultrasonic diagnostic examination, changing and developing sounding techniques to accommodate different variables and ultrasonic response of different body parts.

Qualifications:

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions.
• Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the criteria discussed in the applicable headings, or that defined in the appendices, must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-4 Medical Instrument Technician (Trainee)

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation.
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of basic medical terminology.
  2. Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used.
  3. Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress.
  4. Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted.
  5. Ability to communicate orally and in writing.

GS-5 Medical Instrument Technician (Trainee)

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. -OR-
• Education: Successful completion of 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions.
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions.
  2. Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment.
  3. Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities.
  4. Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures.
  5. Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine.

GS-6 Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography)

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled.
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and great vessels.
  2. Knowledge of cardiac arrhythmias and their relationship to hemodynamic conditions of the cardiac cycle.
  3. Knowledge of basic cardiac ultrasound physics and the acoustic mechanisms by which high quality cardiac images are obtained.
  4. Ability to set up and adjust the ultrasound equipment to meet the conditions of the examination and the patient and to operate the equipment for standardized, routine procedures.
  5. Ability to interact with patients explaining procedures and positioning the patient for the procedure.

GS-7 Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography)

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to independently conduct difficult but standardized echocardiographic examinations.
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Ability to scan transthoracic echocardiograms in all views with colorflow and some Doppler.
  2. Ability to conduct cardiac testing to determine the severity and variety of cardiac problems, i.e., valvular dysfunction, myocardial wall kinesia, effusions, endocardial lesions, etc.
  3. Knowledge of the set-up for transesophageal echocardiograms.
  4. Ability to set up and adjust the ultrasound equipment to meet the conditions of the examination and the patient and to operate the equipment for more complex, but standardized procedures.

GS-8 Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography)

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct diagnostic echocardiography examinations in complex and unusual cases.
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display, and colorflow Doppler imaging.
  2. Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases.
  3. Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves, chamber enlargement, and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves, etc.
  4. Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography.
  5. Ability to adapt transducer positioning, instrument controls, and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings.

Preferred Experience: Experienced Echosonographer

References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G27

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-4 up to GS-8.

Responsibilities:

This announcement is open continuous. Certificates will be issued to the hiring manager on a weekly basis until all positions have been filled. Announcement will remain open until all vacancies are filled, and may close sooner than 9/30/2024.

Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Explains to patient's procedures that are being performed, secures their cooperation, relieves their anxiety, to achieve proper positioning. The incumbent must be alert to changes in the patient's condition which may necessitate immediate intervention. Recognizes serious patient abnormalities and individualizes each recording to the needs of the situation to produce reliable tracings of diagnostic quality.
• Performs cardiac ultrasound examinations and quantifies observed abnormalities, including complex calculations of valve areas and alterations in function, and ejection fraction. Measures pulmonary artery pressures, valve areas, cardiac output, cardiac chambers, gradients and flow assessments. Requires comprehensive knowledge of cardiac anatomy and disease states, and the ability to skillfully use all echo modalities.
• Assists physician during transesophageal echoes in cardiology and in the operating room or during valve operations. Assists with echo-guided pericardiocentesis. This procedure and presence in surgery require knowledge of sterile technique.
• Assists physician during exercise stress echocardiography testing to obtain quality imaging pre and post exercise of diagnostic quality.
• Makes initial interpretation of data in order to perform complete exams and alerts the physician if necessary. Enters the data in the cardiac echo reporting system.
• Maintains records of patients, examinations and digital disc archives, schedules exams as necessary. Makes multiple simultaneous changes in settings and adjustments in operation of equipment during an exam to insure accurate results. On the basis of ultrasound findings, individualizes exam.
• Keeps current on continuing education and CPR. Reviews new developments in the field and makes recommendations on changes that would improve the operation of the section.
• Cleans, maintains, prepares, and calibrates the transesophageal echo probes and echo machines. Observes hospital policies related to isolation and universal body fluid precautions.
• Maintain working relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public is consistently courteous, respectful, and cooperative in nature.
• Ability to display a cooperative attitude and will effectively work together to implement the organization's mission and goals.
• Ability to ensure productivity is maintained at the established level for the program for which he/she is responsible.
• Knowledge of JCAHO and other regulatory requirements.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, Day hours; On-call required
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Repayment is limited to $10,000 annually, up to $60,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program.