Health Technician( Massage Therapist)

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.
• Education. Candidates must complete a minimum 500-hour massage therapy education program.
• . Licensure, Registration, or Certification (1) Candidates must be currently licensed, registered, or certified to practice as a massage therapist in a state, territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Acceptable credentials must have required successful completion of a minimum 500-hour massage therapy education program and pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination, National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Examination, or equivalent state-issued examination. OR, (2) Candidates must possess and maintain a board certification from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

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: GS-7

Education, Experience, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS- 6 grade level performing massage therapy and demonstrate all the KSAs below:

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
(1) Ability to assess the physical and mental status of patients (including history and physical assessment), interpret the appropriate information to identify each patient's population-specific needs, identify indications/contraindications for massage, develop the plan of care, and monitor their response to treatment;
(2) Ability to use various communication techniques to encourage and educate individuals and groups to enhance massage therapy outcomes
(3) Skill in developing and maintaining strong interpersonal relationships
(4) Ability to advise staff and students in massage therapy practices.

Assignment at the full performance level, Health Technicians (Massage Therapy) independently assess the physical and mental status of patients. The Health Technician (Massage Therapy) takes complete patient history and performs a physical assessment. The Health Technician (Massage Therapy) interprets relevant clinical information to identify each patient's population-specific needs, identify indications/contraindications for massage, and develop the plan of care. Health Technicians (Massage Therapy), at this level, are responsible to perform massage therapy services with complexity higher than the developmental level. The Health Technician (Massage Therapy) performs duties with limited supervision and seeks assistance from the supervisor in urgent or emergent circumstances. The Health Technician (Massage Therapy) evaluates patient responses to treatment and documents responses to treatment, by maintaining accurate records in an electronic environment. The Health Technician (Massage Therapy) coordinates follow up massage therapy as necessary. Health Technicians (Massage Therapy), at this level, serve as consultants to the health care team in the evaluation and treatment of the patient. Under routine academic oversight, the Health Technician (Massage Therapy) assists with clinical supervision of massage therapy students.

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-7.

Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients ,the work requires above average agility and dexterity.