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Job Description
Duties
Summary
This position is located within the Mental Health Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The Health Technician works in the Domiciliary Program, and is responsible for maintaining a high quality residential rehabilitation and treatment service for Veterans with multiple and severe medical conditions, mental illness, addiction and/or psychosocial deficits.
Responsibilities
AMENDED – CLOSING DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED
PLEASE VIEW ANNOUNCEMENT DIRECTLY FROM WWW.USAJOBS.GOV. PAY ATTENTION TO HIRING PATH CLARIFICATION, REQUIREMENTS SECTION, AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS SECTION.
- Maintains a safe therapeutic environment of care for patients
- Provides assistance in Domiciliary patient room inspections, safety lock-down inspections
- Provides emotional support to patients
- Communicates with interdisciplinary team on patients’ status
- Orients new patients upon admission
- Continually observes patients’ physical and mental states
- Takes patients vital signs and notes levels of mental alertness and functioning
- Assists individuals with behavioral development and modification of action
- Ensures clients follow the program guidelines.
- Makes observations and documents patient behavior and progress
- Provides direct training and supervision of patients working in the Therapeutic Supportive Employment Services (TSES) Program, evaluates performance and submits recommendations to the TSES Program Manager
- Inspections patient living quarters to ensure cleanliness and rooms are free of contraband
- Documents in the medical record and daily report sheets regards to incidents and behavioral changes in patients
- Escorts patients on trips with Recreation Service and to medical appointments occurring at other medical facilities
- Responds immediately to crises, collaborating with program manager and treatment team
- Performs routine and random patient urine sample collection and breathalyzer tests in order to maintain a drug-free environment, and
- Performs other related duties as assigned
Work Schedule: Varied Work Schedules. This position requires 24/7 coverage. Selectees will be expected to work some evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD06330A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work require some standing, walking, bending, pushing lifting and carrying of items. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. The work also includes stress that may be involved in dealing with persons in emotional distress and who may be uncooperative and occasionally violent make this work notably more demanding than most sedentary jobs. Incumbent must be able to assist patients who need help with standing, walking and sitting if needed. Incumbent must be able to stand and walk for long periods of time or sit for long periods of time while working in this environment. The physical demands require repetition.
Travel Required
Not required
Supervisory status
No
Promotion Potential
None
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Job family (Series)
0640 Health Aid And Technician
- Requirements
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
- Subject to a background/suitability investigation
- Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
- May serve a probationary period
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
- A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
To qualify for this position at the GS-6 level, you must meet one of the following:
- Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-5 level in the Federal service) that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Health Technician, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience is experience where you were responsible for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of patients and/or residents; recognizing, preventing and responding to patients/residents who are acting as a danger to themselves or other; documenting and observing patient and/or resident behaviors; and recording patient and/or resident information into manual and/or computer logs.
NOTE: Selectees will be required to obtain and/or maintain current BLS/CPR certification.
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
Education is not qualifying at this grade level in this occupational series.
Additional information
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 to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in alphabetical order.Background checks and security clearance
Security clearance
Other
Drug test required
Yes
- Required Documents
Required Documents
Documents Accepted:
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (VA)
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Documents Required:
- Resume
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans’ Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans’ Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
- Benefits
Benefits
A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Help
This job is open to
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The public
U.S. citizens, nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarification from the agency
ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.
