The incumbent serves at the full performance level of a Nuclear Medicine Technologist in the Nuclear Medicine Service with responsibility for PET/CT, general and nuclear cardiac imaging, radiopharmacy, radiopharmaceutical therapy, radiation safety, clinical research, and clinical nuclear medicine technology education. 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. This is an open continuous posting and may close before the listed closing date. A certificate will be issued every 15 days until a selection is made. 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). Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g., of this part.) English Language Proficiency: [NMTs] must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, of this part. Certification: All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N). NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following:(1) Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR(2) Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB. NOTE: Technologists functioning as multi-modality technologists require additional specific certifications as stated in assignment descriptions below.] 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). Grandfathering Provision. [] All persons employed in VHA [as an NMT] on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply. Grade Requirement. GS-5: None beyond the basic requirements. [Certification as described in the basic requirements in paragraph 3.b. above is required.] GS-7: Experience or Education. [Developmental Level]. Certification, as described in the basic requirements in paragraph [3.b.] above, [and for the developmental level assignment,] completion of 1 year of [creditable experience] equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-05, directly related to the position to be filled. Experience includes serving as [entry level] NMTs [and] receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patients and require daily direct [(i.e., immediate)] supervision. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Knowledge of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations [that pertain to nuclear medicine technology practices.] Knowledge of the medical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and physics and how they relate to the cardiovascular, skeletal, endocrine, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary systems of the human body. Knowledge of radioactive package types, package surveys, and radioactive materials record management. Ability to independently use and interpret Geiger-Mueller meter. GS-9: Experience. Completion of 1 year of [creditable] experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-07 directly related to the position to be filled. Examples include but are not limited to: NMTs utilize the proper methods of receipt, use, storage, and disposal of radioactive material; perform and evaluate basic quality control on all imaging and non-imaging instrumentation and auxiliary equipment, and provide basic patient care, recognizing and responding to emergency conditions. (i.e., experience that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics needed to provide nuclear medicine technology services at that level) [is required.] Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Ability to document excessive radiation exposure in the working environment. Knowledge of medical events requiring documentation and the ability to properly document them and make recommendations to the radiation safety officer (RSO). Ability to communicate orally and in writing post iodine-131 therapy radiation safety precautions. Ability to troubleshoot gamma camera and auxiliary equipment problems. Ability to analyze computer generated data for technical quality and artifacts and initiate corrective measures. Preferred Experience: None References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G19, Nuclear Medicine Technologist Qualification Standards December 19, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-09. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Use of fingers. ["The Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT) may be scheduled and assigned to all areas of the Service, including PET/CT, and must possess the required professional knowledge, skill, and ability to perform the following functions: The below duties are at the full performance level, and include but not limited to: Patient Care Provides effective patient care by being responsive to the physical and emotional needs of the patient. Establish and maintains communication with the adult and older adult patient family. Evaluates the individual needs of the adult and older adult patient and provides appropriate care/support. Verifies patient identity, physician order for the procedure, and pregnancy status of females, when appropriate. Checks for appropriateness of study to assure that the proper study is being performed. Performs patient assessment of medication use, mobility cognitive function, and sensory changes in patient. Explains the procedure in a manner that can be understood by the patient and documents patient education, obtains relevant patient history and collects pertinent data about the patient to verify that patient has not had previous diagnostic studies, medications, or conditions that may invalidate the scan/test result or cause artifacts and to ensure that pre-study preparation had been completed. Instrument Quality Control: Evaluates performance of scintillation cameras by performing photopeak alignment, flood field, bar phantom, high-count uniformity flood images, center of rotation, and SPECT phantom images. Evaluates performance of scintillation probes and well counter by performing constancy checks on day use, energy resolution, and chi-square test. Evaluates performance of PET/CT camera by performing PET QC, CT quality assurance and calibration, as well as PET/CT system alignment calibration. Diagnostic Procedures Selects and prepares proper imaging cameras, computers, and auxiliary equipment (IV and syringe pumps, ECG gating devices, xenon delivery system, etc) to perform procedures. Positions the patient and equipment to obtain desired images. Adapts Nuclear Medicine procedures for the elderly patient. Administers radiopharmaceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals using administration protocols and standard precautions. Performs common imaging procedures, such as thyroid, parathyroid, bone, 3-phase bone, ventilation and perfusion lung, quantitative lung, liver and spleen, cardiac blood pool (MUGA), gastric emptying, GI bleed, and PET. Radiopharmacy Receives and monitors radioactive material packages for external exposure and removable contamination. Notifies supervisor if results exceed action levels. Completes \"receipt\" form, stores radioactive material, and properly disposes of packing material. Reviews daily work schedule and orders unit doses, or prepares appropriate radiopharmaceutical kits. Includes Tc-99m, I-123, I-131, Tl-201, F-18, as well as, special order PET and general nuclear medicine doses. Labels blood components with radiopharmaceuticals according to protocol on radiolabeled blood products. Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Assists the Nuclear Medicine Physician in performing radiopharmaceutical therapy. Receives the therapeutic shipment, verifies correct radiopharmaceutical, lot number, prescribed activity, and correct route of administration. Provides written and oral post-therapy radiation safety instructions to the patient. Performs post-therapy survey for release of patient. Documents releases criteria. Performs patient-specific calculations when patients cannot be released according to dosage administered or post survey. For hospitalized therapeutic patients, performs radiation surveys, uses mobile shielding to reduce exposure, posts appropriate caution signs, distributes personnel monitoring devices; and calculates time nursing staff can spend near the patient. Radiation Safety Uses personnel monitoring devices to measure external radiation expose. Analyzes results, performs proper notification, and takes corrective action. Performs bioassay following I-131 therapy greater than 10 millicuries to detect internal contamination. Analyzes results and takes corrective action. Takes appropriate measures to maintain radiation exposure to levels that are as low as are reasonably achievable (ALARA). Education, Clinical Research, and Administration/Clerical Plans and conducts clinical instruction of nuclear medicine technology students and supervises and evaluates their performance. Participates in clinician research activities involving specific protocols, pharmaceutical clinical trials, and proposed new uses of radiopharmaceuticals. Work Schedule: 8a-4:30p Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00224-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
