What are the responsibilities and job description for the Nuclear Medicine Technologist position at Veterans Health Administration?
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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Nuclear Medicine Technologist must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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 : In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met : Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT) GS-09 : Experience. Completion of 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07 grade level) to include, but 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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. 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-09. Physical Requirements : The physical demands of the work includes : Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over; moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; pushing up to 4 hours; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers, good dexterity (both hands required); prolonged walking, prolonged standing; repeated bending; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; far vision correctable in one eye to 20 / 20; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); speed in working; and emotional stability.
