Summary

The Dayton VA Medical Center is looking for a Chief - Sterile Processing Service (SPS). The Chief - Sterile Processing Service (SPS) is responsible for the planning - direction - and management of all areas of the SPS department to include decontamination - sterile preparation - non- biological implantable devices - reusable medical device reprocessing and inventory control.

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
• Experience and/or Education: Experience
• Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work
• or Education
• One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health care related courses such as sterile processing - nursing assistant - hospital corpsman - and operating room and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position
• or Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
• Certification: None Grandfathering Provision: All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation
• MSTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• MSTs who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• Foreign Education: To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U
• S
• programs
• English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j - this part (Handbook 5005)
• 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-10: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - GS-09
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to implement and incorporate regulations - policies - and procedures to manage SPS operations
• Ability to evaluate new products and equipment - develop options - and make recommendations
• Ability to integrate SPS managerial duties - which includes strategic planning of facility organizational goals and integration of SPS vision and values within the organizational mission
• Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties - including assigning - planning and evaluating work - recommending awards - approving leave - identifying training needs - and resolving staff issues
• Skill to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in order to facilitate daily SPS functions
• Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal data in order to forecast resource and equipment needs
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-10
• Physical Requirements: The work requires some walking and standing during a normal workday
• Some lifting and carrying of moderately heavy items are required occasionally
• The employee will routinely alternate between a contaminated and a carefully clean environment
• The Chief - SPS will be required to wear protective clothing from time to time and will be subjected to loud noises from machinery and offensive smells
• If in the decontamination area where processing of contaminated equipment is done - the employee must wear scrub suits - face shields - a hair cover - gloves - gown - impervious shoe covers - and an impervious gown
• The work area may be hot and humid
• Unpleasant odors are frequently encountered during the processing of particular items
• The work area can be quite noisy due to the clatter of metal upon metal when working with instruments and trays - the rumbling of carts and the operation of sterilizing equipment - ultrasonic cleaners - and automatic transport systems.

Duties

• Major duties include but not limited to: Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates - sets - and adjusts short-term priorities - and prepares schedules
• Interviews candidates for positions
• recommends appointment - promotion - or reassignment
• Identifies developmental needs and arranges and/or creates training for team
• Works with service chiefs of other departments
• Manages the collection and receipt of all soiled instrumentation - reusable supplies - and equipment
• Responsible for processing reusable supplies and equipment through the decontamination system and maintaining all applicable manufacturers cleaning instructions
• Completes inventory and reprocessing of instrumentation associated with the Center of Excellence for Orthopedic Total Joint Replacement Surgery
• Responsible for directing and managing cleaning - high level disinfection activities for the ENT Clinic - GI Lab - and Bronchoscopy Lab and Anesthesia Department
• Manages the quality assurance program and a robust electronic tracking system that verifies safety of all Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) - manages the standard operating procedures and competency verification for all personnel involved in reprocessing activities
• Responsible for directing and managing the identification - assembly - and sterilization of instrument trays for surgical and clinic procedures
• Electronically tracks and manages a large instrument inventory and monitors use and replacements of surgical implants in sterile trays
• Determines the sterilization and/or the High-Level Disinfection requirement for every item processed and operates complex hydrogen peroxide sterilizers and steam autoclaves - as well as the biological monitoring incubators for each device
• Ensures all staff are trained and evaluated for competency in assembling these complex instrument trays and operation of highly technical equipment
• Responsible for providing technical oversight of all reprocessing of RMD and equipment used in the facility and affiliated sites
• Ensures that device-specific standards and systemic RMD processes are established and documented in Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) and that all RMD reprocessing is performed with high reliability according to current manufacturer's instructions
• Responsible for the development - administration - and validation of initial and annual competencies for staff performing reprocessing RMD and for all personnel using reprocessing equipment
• Manages a quality assurance program to ensure appropriate and safe reprocessing is being performed and proper protective equipment is being utilized - to include site inspections and RMD rounds
• Manages and maintains a large budget of inventory to ensure the operating room and clinical services have all necessary instrumentation to complete procedures
• Responsible for drafting annually - the fiscal year budget plan by interpreting historical data and predicting or estimating future requirements
• Manages a SPS Equipment Inventory Listing (EIL) of over $1.4M for all patient care equipment and other equipment assigned to SPS
• Plans - develops - directs - and maintains a Quality Control Program
• Responsible for the successful deployment and monitoring of International Organization of Standards / ISO 9001 Quality Management System
• Performs other related duties as assigned
• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Medical Supply Aide and Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Supply-Aide-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Monday to Friday - 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 92043-0 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized