The incumbent provides clinical support to the Surgery Service / Podiatry Section located in West Palm Beach, FL. The incumbent is responsible to learn, practice, and support all existing safety practices relevant to this position. The Health Technician in the Podiatry Department assists in various aspects of patient care within the nursing foot care clinic. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Per OPM IOR: Specialized experience: Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. In addition to the IOR above applicants must meet the Specialized Experience listed below 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: Knowledge of direct patient care techniques, including activities of daily living (ADLs), ambulating patients, infection control, and emergency response. Knowledge of health informatics, i.e. design, configuration and management of health information and clinical support systems; health data collection, storage, extraction, manipulation, reporting and communications. Uses of clinical procedures to perform medical tests. Demonstrates application of the principles of infection control in all activities. Understands and utilizes standard precautions and uses proper protective equipment. 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. NOTE: Graduate education or an internship must be directly related to the work of the position. ["Duties Include: Identifying diseases (peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, peripheral arterial and venous diseases, nail and foot infections, plantar warts, ulcers, wounds, blisters, and other suspicious lesions.). Verifying orders for toenail debridement by healthcare providers. Ensuring accurate documentation of patient encounters. Diagnosing common podiatric pathologies. Operation and use of specialized equipment and materials. Knowledge of supply ordering procedures. Assist patients with positioning in the exam chair, adjust footrest, place disposable pads under feet, and remove socks and shoes. Ability to develop treatment objectives for general purposes and perform standard procedures. Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Podiatry)/PD030630 Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary but also requires some standing, walking, bending, lifting and carrying of light items. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. The work also requires heavy lifting of equipment and patients. Manual dexterity in handling instruments is required in order to accurately perform duties and avoid injury. Work Environment: The work environment involves risks typically associated with performance medical work in direct patient care. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks or discomforts such as sharp instruments, chemicals, and diseases that require special safety precautions."]
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.