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Summary You will serve in the position of Orthopedic Technician in the Joint Venture Service at the Anchorage VA Medical Center. Responsibilities Observes and assesses patients using physical examination, verbal and written communication from patients, family and other healthcare team members, monitoring devices, lab and test results, and other data as relevant to patient care. Recognizes signs and symptoms that may require nursing intervention and reports these signs and symptoms promptly to nurse for possible intervention. Provides care to patients of all ages. Identifies and responds to both existing and potential emergency situations by initiating corrective treatment and resuscitative measures, based on appropriate utilization of physician orders, unit and facility guidelines, and BLS protocol. Identifies patient/family educational needs, including nutritional, psychosocial, and age-specific or developmental needs, and provides patient/family teaching on matters involving and/or affecting patient care. Supports and participates in clinic/facility programs and responsibilities regarding safety, quality improvement, risk management, infection control, policy and procedure revisions, staff meetings, inter-services, continuing education, and other functions as they arise. Contributes to the ongoing creation of a supportive and positive work climate of mutual respect and collaboration among healthcare members, patients, families and others interacting with clinic staff. Manages medical logistics system, orders equipment and supplies as necessary to provide optimal patient care, establishes and maintains adequate supply levels, and adjusts supply levels as needed to meet demands. Manages and maintains clinic equipment and procedures, to include training, documentation infection control, quality improvement, and accountability. May administer medications after taking course passing the medication administration test. Answers the phone, schedules patients for routine and follow-up appointments, assists in the maintenance of office records. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am-4:30pm; compressed work may be available. Position Description Title/PD#: Orthopedic Technician/PD50308A Physical Requirements: The work involves considerable walking, bending, standing, twisting, and lifting of equipment and assisting patients with turning, moving, and transferring from one position to another, or to and from the exam table, chair, and wheelchair. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 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: providing patient care by performing personal care, diagnostic support, treatment procedures (such as taking vital signs, collecting specimens, applying casts, splints, or cast braces, operating cast saw for removing, cutting, or trimming casts), patient care documentation, and applying the principles of infection control, safety, and universal precautions, which contributes to the implementation and continuity of the care planned, for the health of the patient. OR Education (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED): Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level. Education at the GS-5 or above is generally not applicable unless directly related. Successfully completing one year of full-time graduate education meets the requirement and is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. 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. Additional 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/. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. 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.