Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography)

Summary The Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography) works independently and may ask for general supervision from the Sleep Lab Supervisor and/or clinical director (MD) or designee to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment of disorders. This may involve polysomnography, diagnostic and therapeutic services or patent care and education. Learn more about this agency Duties Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include, but are not limited to the following: Administrative: The Polysomnographic Technologist must be up to date on all policies and procedures. Clinical: Collect, analyze and integrate patient information In order to identify and meet the patient-specific needs, and to determine final testing parameters/procedures in conjunction with the ordering physician or clinical director and laboratory protocols. Complete and verify documentation. Explain pre testing, testing, and post-testing procedures to the patient. Informs patients on usage of all PAP equipment during titration studies. Testing Preparation Procedures: Prepare and calibrate equipment required for testing to determine proper functioning and make adjustments if necessary. Apply electrodes and sensors according to accepted published standards. Perform appropriate physiologic calibrations to ensure proper signals and make adjustments if necessary Perform positive airway pressure (PAP) mask fitting. Polysomnographic Procedures: Follow procedural protocols to ensure collection of appropriate data. Follow "lights out' procedures to establish and document baseline values (such as body position. ox hemoglobin saturation, respiratory and heart rates, etc.)Perform Polysomnographic data acquisition while monitoring study-tracing quality to ensure signals are artifact-free and make adjustments, if necessary. Document routine observations including sleep stages and clinical events, changes in procedure and significant events in order to facilitate scoring and Interpretation of polysomnographic results. Implement appropriate interventions (Including actions necessary for patient safety and therapeutic intervention such as continuous and bi-level positive airway pressure, oxygen administration, etc.) Inspire fine tuning. Documents baseline, makes changes in Inspire voltages to ensure a quality signal free of artifact. Follow "lights on' procedures to verify integrity of collected data and complete the data collection process. Polysomnographic Record Scoring: Score sleep/wake stages by applying professionally accepted guidelines. Score clinical events(such as respiratory events. cardiac events, limb movements. arousals etc.,) according to center specific protocols. Generate accurate reports by tabulating sleep/wake and clinical event data. Upon request for an emergency procedure with an immediate report, the results will be shown to the interpreting physician as soon as the test is completed and often must convey the report to the requesting physician. Although not responsible for interpretation of the results, the incumbent must know through experience how to recognize abnormalities and promptly bring them to the attention of the supervisor. The incumbent shall review the patient's chart and record pertinent symptoms, medical history, medications and other lab results. PAP Monitoring: As a diagnostic tool, applies CPAP, BPAP, ASV and AVAP when performing polysomnogram studies per physician's diagnosis and request while continuously monitoring equipment in use. Makes independent judgment for changes in the setting of air pressure needed in each individual case. As a diagnostic tool, introduces supplemental oxygen, with or without positive pressure therapy, and titrate oxygen dose as necessary upon physician's request. Work Schedule: Full Time. Alternating Saturday. Every Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday night. Shift 7:00pm-7:00am Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications 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: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency: MITs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography) Polysomnography Technicians operate the electroencephalograph and other devices to record the electrical activity of the brain during sleep. Registration is offered by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the criteria discussed in the applicable headings, or that defined in the appendices, must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Basic Developmental Levels: Medical Instrument Technician (Trainee) GS-4: Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. -OR- Education: Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of basic medical terminology. Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used. Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress. Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted. Ability to communicate orally and in writing. GS-5: Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. -OR- Education: Successful completion of [4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions. Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment. Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities. Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures. Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine. Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography): GS-6: Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of standard, computerized polysomnographs for recording continuous all night physiological data including EEG, EOG, EKG, EMG and respiratory parameters. Knowledge of standard devices such as oximeters, respiratory effort devices, nasal pressure devices, thermistors, thermocouples, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, and laboratory computers including the ability to calibrate and operate the equipment and recognize and eliminate recording artifacts. Knowledge of medical terminology and medical record organization to review medical records, sleep study orders, consent forms, medical charts, etc. Knowledge of polysmnographic procedural protocols (including overnight sleep studies, MSLT, MWT, PAP, etc.). Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology and the international 10-20 electrode placement system in order to conduct the sleep studies. GS-7: Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to independently conduct difficult but standardized polysomnography examinations. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of CPAP function and operation to select and fit appropriate PAP patient interface devices. Ability to independently titrate and document PAP level to achieve therapeutic goals. Knowledge of indications, complications, and contraindications of CPAP therapy. Knowledge of Bi-Level pressure titrations. Ability to recognize changes seen during the PSG tracing and identify all stages of sleep. This includes the ability to score and analyze sleep stages in clinical polysomnography recordings. GS-8: Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided a knowledge of the more complex procedures as well as knowledge of the uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge or the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders. Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form. Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stage, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action. Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians. 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-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-4 up to GS-8. 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. Preferred Experience: One year of experience and graduate of EEG/Sleep program. Education All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to clearly demonstrate your experience in your application package may result in disqualification. All applicants are encouraged to submit responses to each Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSA) on a separate document. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional information 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. 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. Expand Hide  additional information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.