Summary This position is for a Health Technician, GS-0640-05, with the St. Cloud VA Medical Center in St. Cloud, MN. The Health Technician is a direct care staff member for the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment Program, which provides residential, bio-psychosocial services in the treatment of substance use and/or mental health disorders. This position provides support in a wide variety of basic clinical and administrative activities. Responsibilities Major duties include but are not limited to: Serving as a liaison between patients and team members. Documenting patient interactions in various computer systems, including vital signs, drug screens, patient behaviors, activities, and appointments, etc. Facilitating recovery-based psycho-education groups to Veterans with mental health and substance abuse. Conducting environmental safety rounds in assigned domiciliary area. Assisting doctors and nurses in the care and treatment of ill veterans. Conducting simple tests and recording results, such as glucometer readings and vital signs. Communicating effectively with people from diverse cultural, educational, and organizational backgrounds within and outside the Clinic. Initiating medical administration processing of physician orders. Initiating appropriate procedures in emergency situations, including response to emergency events and drills, as well as medical emergencies. Work Schedule: Various schedules, including 7:30am-4pm; 12am-8am; 3:30pm-12am; and possible 12-hour shifts. Also includes rotating weekends and holidays. The work schedule will be discussed during interview process. Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position. Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician/PD90479A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit Position: Yes - AFGE Preferred Experience in the mental health area. The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. GS-05 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 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 but is not limited to: basic clinical and administrative activities; patient accountability, safety, health, and practical advice/counsel to patients. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree to be creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 1 year of specialized experience. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05. For example, an applicant who has 90 semester hours of undergraduate level education (i.e., 50% of education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e., 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clerical Communication Health Information Exchange 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: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The work is performed in a clinic setting. This includes a variety of periods of sitting, walking, standing, and carrying of items. The employee must be able to utilize good body mechanics. The employee must be physically capable of walking distances required to perform daily rounds, multiple times per shift, respond to emergencies within the facility, complete emergency procedures including but not limited to: evacuations, drills, and Basic Life Support. The employee must be able to maintain auditory and visual alertness during all assigned tours of duty. Work Environment: The work is performed in the residential outpatient domiciliary setting. The environment involves risk, which requires normal safety precautions. The employee works in a health care facility where exposure to contagious disease exists. The physical surroundings involve risks and discomfort that require special precautions, e.g., exposure to undiagnosed and infectious disease, contacts with patients under the influence of intoxicants, verbal and physical assault from patients, etc. 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/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. When academic credit is expressed in contract months, units, or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the appropriate institution in order to equate them to the semester or quarter hours specified in the standard. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Additional Information The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.