Career Center

Summary

This position is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Veterans Transportation Services (VTS) - Ambulance Service - in various VA Medical Center (VAMC) locations with an emergency room - acute care or urgent care clinic - or other similar departments performing basic and advanced life support procedures.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/19/2025. In addition to the English Language Proficiency and Selective Placement Factor above - to qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level - you must meet one of the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-08) in the Federal Service - that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Medical Care Transportation Technician -Paramedic. Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists - speech pathologists - medical officers - and optometrists. Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes knowledge of a majority of body systems - i.e. - skeletal - muscular - nervous - respiratory - circulatory - digestive - and genitourinary - to perform patient examination; responding to accidents and other emergencies involving injury and/or illness which may be life-threatening and require basic life support procedures; experience providing transportation of patients to medical treatment facilities; using communication equipment and techniques to accurately obtain and relay information to and from dispatchers and health care providers; knowledge of protocols and treatments used in the delivery of emergency care for persons injured in chemical - nuclear - biological - and hazardous materials incidents; and experience operating emergency or patient transport vehicles. SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed two years of Graduate education or a Master's degree is creditable only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position (Transcript Required). -OR- COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed Graduate education (in excess of one year) and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements (Transcript Required). Physical Requirements and Work Environment: This position involves extended periods of heavy moving and lifting of patients in a variety of situations. Generally - the work requires recurring bending - lifting - stooping - stretching - and positioning of patients - frequently under adverse conditions or in confined areas. May be required to spend prolonged periods in protective breathing apparatus and protective closing during chemical - nuclear - biological - or hazardous materials incidents/exercises. Employee may be exposes to infection and contagious diseases - and may involve exposure to patients who are intoxicated - under the influence of drugs - or mentally unstable resulting in belligerent and sometimes violent behavior. 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/.

Duties

• This Medical Care Transpiration Technician - Paramedic position is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Veterans Transportation Services (VTS) - Ambulance Service - in various VA Medical Center (VAMC) locations with an emergency room - acute care or urgent care clinic - or other similar departments performing basic and advanced life support procedures
• The major duties include but are not limited to: Inter-facility transport of emergent - urgent and stable patients - sometimes over long distances Determines and prioritizes appropriate medical treatment/procedures and need for additional assistance
• Perform patient triage and take/records patient's vital signs as needed
• Perform physical examinations and obtains patient history - assesses status of patient's neurological system - cardiovascular system - circulatory system - skeletal system - orthopedic system - motor and sensory skills - and level of consciousness
• Makes an independent preliminary assessment of the patient's condition and selects from a variety of prescribed protocols the one that is considered appropriate under the given circumstances
• Administers basic and advanced life support care at emergency scene in accordance with established medical standards - which may include providing advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) - international trauma life support (ITLS) - PALS - PEPP - advanced airway management - CPR - and/or drug treatments
• Performs invasive and non-invasive procedures on patients with life threatening and non-life-threatening conditions per established procedures or as authorized/directed by physicians
• Responds to cardiac and respiratory emergencies - performs cardiac monitoring and defibrillation
• maintains circulation controls bleeding and provides spinal management and immobilization
• Observes - records - and monitors patient's condition and effects of medication - and performs rapid sequence intubation according to established medical standards
• Follows safety procedures - utilizes safety equipment - and monitors work environment to ensure safety of employees and other individuals
• Serve in a technical support capacity to the Emergency Department making critical observations (within their level of competencies) regarding among other conditions - vital signs - deformities - swelling - pallor - and mental status
• Operates the emergency transport vehicle and uses telephone and radio communications equipment and systems in order to select the most efficient route to and from sites - taking into consideration traffic patterns - health facility locations - etc
• Adheres to traffic ordinances and regulations pertaining to operation of emergency vehicles
• Utilizes various tools and equipment to transport patients - such as Henley backboards - EKG monitor and defibrillator - and mechanical CPR device - etc
• Assists in lifting and carrying patients into or out of transport vehicles and into treatment facility
• Paramedics will perform the following procedures - as required - and in strict compliance with standing orders and protocols within the national scope of practice and written standards: Airway Obstruction and Respiratory Arrest Cardiac Arrest Mechanical Breathing Aids Wounds Bleeding and Shock Fractures of Torso and Extremities Head - Face - Neck - and Spine Injuries Eye - Chest - Abdomen - and Genitalia Childbirth: Paramedic responds to pre-delivery complications - e.g. - convulsions - heart/lung hemorrhaging - as well as to normal deliveries
• Miscellaneous Medical Emergencies Environmental Emergencies Work Schedule: Paramedics work rotating shifts - including holidays - and are subject to occasional recall to maintain adequate coverage of the Emergency Department and ambulance service 24 hours a day - 7 days a week
• Mandatory overtime may be required due to run times that may extend beyond normal scheduled work hours
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Financial Disclosure Report: Not required