Summary

This Medical Care Transpiration Technician - Paramedic position is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Veterans Transportation Services (VTS) - Ambulance Service - in various VA Medical Center (VAMC) locations with an emergency room - acute care or urgent care clinic - or other similar departments performing basic and advanced life support procedures. This position is located at the VAMC - Asheville - NC.

Qualifications

SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - FOUR Selective Placement Factors (SPF) have been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. Must possess a valid/current state issued license/certification for eligibility for employment (Paramedic). Must possess and maintain current Basic Life Support Provider (BLS) Certification. (CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED to receive credit for further consideration). Must possess and maintain current Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider Certification. (CERTIFICATIONS REQUIRED to receive credit for further consideration). Possess a valid and unrestricted state driver's license. (Please DO NOT provide driver's license. We may not accept pictures. This requirement will be verified during interview). In addition to the English Language Proficiency and Selective Placement Factors above - to qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level - you must meet one of the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-08) in the Federal Service - that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Medical Care Transportation Technician-Paramedic. 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. Specialized experience includes knowledge of a majority of body systems - i.e. - skeletal - muscular - nervous - respiratory - circulatory - digestive - and genitourinary - to perform patient examination; responding to accidents and other emergencies involving injury and/or illness which may be life-threatening and require basic life support procedures; experience providing transportation of patients to medical treatment facilities; using communication equipment and techniques to accurately obtain and relay information to and from dispatchers and health care providers; knowledge of protocols and treatments used in the delivery of emergency care for persons injured in chemical - nuclear - biological - and hazardous materials incidents; and experience operating emergency or patient transport vehicles. -OR- SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed two years of Graduate education or a Master's degree is creditable only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position (Transcript Required). -OR- COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed Graduate education (in excess of one year) and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements (Transcript Required). You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Clinical Data Collection/Documentation Emergency Care First Response Patient Care Transportation IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: This position involves extended periods of heavy moving and lifting of patients in a variety of situations. Generally - the work requires recurring bending - lifting - stooping - stretching - and positioning of patients - frequently under adverse conditions or in confined areas. May be required to spend prolonged periods in protective breathing apparatus and protective closing during chemical - nuclear - biological - or hazardous materials incidents/exercises. Employee may be exposes to infection and contagious diseases - and may involve exposure to patients who are intoxicated - under the influence of drugs - or mentally unstable resulting in belligerent and sometimes violent behavior. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Duties

• ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION - YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** The major duties include but are not limited to: Performs all duties of a Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician - which includes: responds to accidents and other emergencies involving injury - illness - life threatening situations
• patient triage and take/record patient vital signs
• conducts complete assessment of patient's condition - obtains patient history
• makes independent preliminary patient assessments and if and how the patient can be moved and to which facility to transport patient to
• administers Basic and Advanced Life Support Care - responds to and monitors cardiac and defibrillation
• provides fluid resuscitation by IV and manages trauma injuries - bleeding - and post-traumatic shock
• Operates various emergency vehicles and emergency/medical equipment - tools and supplies which may include ambulance - extrication tools - blood pressure cuff - cardiac monitor - glucose monitor - defibrillator - endotracheal tube - external pacing device - 12 lead EKG airway equipment - intravenous pump - oxygen terminal - pulse oximetry monitor - CPAP - auto-ventilator - medical supplies - radio communications equipment
• Ambulance Interpretive Guidelines involve: Airway Obstruction and Respiratory Arrest
• Cardiac Arrest
• Mechanical Breathing Aids
• Bleeding and Shock
• Fractures of Torso and Extremities
• Head - Face - Neck and Spine Injuries
• Eye - Chest - Abdomen - and Genitalia
• Childbirth
• Miscellaneous Medical Emergencies
• Environmental Emergencies
• Operates emergency transport vehicles - uses telephone and radio communications equipment and systems - selects most efficient route to and from sites taking into consideration traffic patterns - adverse weather conditions - and health facility locations
• Reads highway maps - program GPS devices - and follows instructions
• Decontaminates the vehicle and assures vehicle is ready for the next run by replacing supplies and medical equipment and performs safety inspections and operator maintenance
• Performs other duties as necessary
• Work Schedule: Paramedics work rotating shifts - including holidays - and are subject to occasional recall to maintain adequate coverage of the Emergency Department and ambulance service 24 hours a day - 7 days a week
• Mandatory overtime may be required due to run times that may extend beyond normal scheduled work hours
• Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Condition of continued employment: Paramedic shall obtain certification as a National Registered Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic) no later than (NLT) 18 months after employment as condition of continued employment with VA.