Medical Instrument Technician (Vascular Ultrasound)

Summary

This is the full performance level requiring specialized advanced knowledge and assignments. It is expected to perform the full range of vascular ultrasound procedures - including the most complex and non-routine - and to make appropriate adjustments in established procedures and techniques to obtain the results required for clinical diagnosis and documentation. At this level - the technician would also have the ability to perform intracranial (transcranial) vascular examinations.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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 certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments - specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations"
• 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
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: GS-8 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 which demonstrates the knowledge - skills - and abilities to perform noninvasive vascular ultrasound procedures as a senior technician
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities 1
• Knowledge of cross-sectional and longitudinal vascular anatomy in normal and abnormal vessels - anatomical planes and tissue structures - physiologic effects of disease entities that impact the vascular system - signs and symptoms of acute and chronic vascular disease - and the characteristic appearance of aneurysms - pseudoaneurysms - thromboses - stenoses - occlusions - AV fistulae - and morphology of atherosclerotic plaque formulation
• 2
• Ability to provide Doppler information of peripheral vessels
• demonstrate characteristic differences related to the organs they supply
• accurately quantify carotid artery stenoses
• and identify and correlate specific waveform analysis - plethysmographic tracings - velocity changes - and pressure gradients characteristic of normal - obstructed - or occluded vessels or grafts
• 3
• Ability to perform intracranial (transcranial) vascular examinations
• 4
• Ability to operate the instruments to extract the highest quality image utilizing the appropriate transducer frequency - Doppler angle - focal zones - gain - depth - color map - wall filter - and sample volume 5
• Ability to provide objective data to document progression or regression of disease
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Duties

• Duties: a) The Vascular Technologist coordinates a variety of technical procedures that require independent judgment - Ingenuity - and Initiative in the application of non-ionizing high-frequency ultrasonic waves to humans for the diagnosis of disease in the clinic or in the Inpatient unit
• b) Knows and understands the principles of ultrasound and the highly specialized equipment well enough to essentially approve the acceptability or rejectability of each scan - controls technical factors on the ultrasound unit - which will affect time - gain - amplitude - velocity - frequency - attenuation - absorption - reflection - scattering - refraction - and diffraction
• Selects between non-focused - fixedfocus - linear phased array - annular phased array - and Doppler or Power Doppler
• c) Performance of the examination requires proper alignment and position of the patient
• Sets up and adjusts all equipment and manually maneuvers the transducer to perform the exam
• d) Receives and identifies patients - explains methods of procedures - assists movement of patients to and from wheelchairs - carts - tables - positions the patient - and performs examinations requested
• Evaluates the nature of critical and emergency procedures and rearranges priorities to accommodate them
• e) The incumbent performs vascular sonography studies - records - and prepares the processed media for Interpretation by the Staff Radiologist
• S/he will maintain records of patients in the Vista radiology package
• f) As a vascular sonographer - s/he schedules and prepares patients for exams and explains procedures to patients while performing the studies
• g) S/he obtains pertinent diagnostic vascular examinations for the physician - which may be necessary for correlation between the ultrasound scan and clinical history
• h) S/he performs diagnostic vascular examination on multiple areas of the body - including - but not limited to - the abdomen - pelvis - transvaginal - chest - small parts - thyroid - breast - and scrotum
• i) S/he routinely performs vascular studies including central - peripheral and cerebral applications - TCD - Carotid - ABI - arterial duplex - venous duplex - renal artery duplex - and visceral vascular exams of the abdomen
• Regularly performs preoperative upper and lower extremity vein mappings for vascular surgeons - as well as chronic venous Insufficiency studies
• j) S/he assists radiologists with biopsy procedures - determining the location - depth - and the required needle angle for the lesion to be sampled
• k) S/he assists in surgical procedures and fluid aspirations
• This requires performance and knowledge of sterile technique and strict enforcement
• l) S/he differentiates artifacts from normal or pathological processes and recognizes electronic equipment limitations
• m) S/he recognizes a diagnostic scan and consults with the Staff Radiologist to determine the proper diagnosis
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8AM to 4:30PM Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 60282F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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