Health Technician - Intermediate Care Technician

Summary

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) Program is a program designed to hire transitioning service – National Guard – Reserve – and Veteran corpsmen, combat medics and medical technicians into positions at VA Medical Centers as an integral part of the medical team. Candidates generally qualify based on U.S. Armed Forces experience or equivalent education.

To qualify for this position – applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. The Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) is the Health Aid and Technician Series – 0640 – which has a minimum qualification entry requirement. For positions at GS‑4 and above, specialized experience includes support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.

Technician experience must involve the application of knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. Applicants may also qualify based on education or a combination of education and experience as detailed below:

Specialized Experience
:
One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS‑6 grade level in federal service. This includes preparing and administering medications in various forms (intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal, oral, aerosolized with oxygen, topical, intraocular, ear drops, intranasal, rectal, local anesthetics, intraurethral, intravenous) and performing minor surgical procedures, medical interventions, and treatment to manage combat disease or disabling symptoms (e.g., incising and draining skin infections or abscesses).

Order appropriate diagnostic studies under the direction of a supervising Licensed Independent Practitioner, obtain, and report diagnostic and laboratory results.

Education
:
Successfully completed one full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) or an internship in subject matter directly related to the Intermediate Care Technician position, obtained in an accredited college or university. Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with application materials. Education alone is not credited without documentation.

Combination
: A combination of graduate level education and specialized experience meeting the total requirement for the grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position. Again, transcripts must be submitted. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at GS‑07 level. To calculate eligibility, first identify the percentage of required education earned (the first 60 semester hours cannot be used as a substitute).

Next, identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages; the total must equal at least 100% to qualify at GS‑07.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid work, including volunteer work through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, Ameri Corps) and other organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training that translates directly to paid employment. Credit is awarded for all qualifying experience.

• Obtain patient history, chief complaints, medication history, and identify health‑related conditions that may impact patient health status.
• Evaluate patients for emergent or non‑emergent medical conditions.
• Order appropriate diagnostic studies (vital signs, EKG, etc.).
• Perform interventions based on patient symptoms and established protocols or standards.
• Assist in behavioral/psychiatric situations.
• Assist Emergency Department physicians with complex, specialized, and potentially life‑threatening procedures.
• Administer oxygen, basic IV fluids, nebulized medications, limited PO meds, IM meds/immunizations/vaccines.
• Recognize life‑threatening situations and act to correct them according to established national or facility protocols.
• Work schedule:
  
  full‑time, Monday‑Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 40 hours per week.
• Position description title/PD#:
  Health Technician – Intermediate Care Technician/PD99968A.
• Physical requirements:
  
  the work involves extended periods of bending, standing, and walking. Requires recurring physical exertion while assisting patients.