Career Center

Summary

The Health Aid - Transporter is located at John Cochran or Jefferson Barracks Division of VA Saint Louis Health Care System. This position provides support to patients - and their families - staff - and visitors. Transporters are responsible for transporting patients to various areas within the medical center. They perform a wide range of support functions - which includes being able to accurately identify patients according to national standards and knowledge of proper positioning of the patient.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 06/04/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: General Experience: Applicants are required to possess 6 months of General Experience. General Experience is (1) any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position - or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed l year of full-time study above high school that included study in medical - health - or related fields. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school - junior college - college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours - 45 quarter hours - or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. Training: Completion of appropriate training such as in-service training programs - training acquired while serving in the Armed Forces - and government-sponsored developmental training programs will be allowed credit on a month-for-month basis. Completion of an intensive - specialized course of study of less than l year may meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. Courses of this type normally require completion of up to 40 hours per week of instruction rather than the usual 20 hours per week - and are usually of at least 3 months duration. Such courses may have been obtained through a variety of programs such as those offered by technical schools and military training programs. To be creditable - such a course must have been designed specifically as career preparation for the work of the position being filled - and must have provided the applicant with the necessary knowledge - skills - and abilities to do the work. OR Combining Experience and Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education or training and experience are qualifying. 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

• The Health Aid - Transporter position is located at John Cochran or Jefferson Barracks campus of the VA Saint Louis Health Care System
• This position provides support to patients - and their families - staff - and visitors
• Transporters are responsible for transporting patients to various areas within the medical center
• The Health Aid delivers and logs-in specimens - assisting the nursing staff by retrieving supplies or other materials such as oxygen tanks
• They perform a wide range of support functions which includes knowledge of proper positioning of the patient to prevent ulcers - to support their intravenous lines - urinary drainage bags and other devices during transport
• The Health Aid is responsible for observing and reporting any sudden variations/changes in patient's condition - such as acute changes in mental status - during transport
• They work closely with the nursing staff to ensure safe patient handling and transport: in and out of wheelchairs - stretchers or beds and assisting patients getting in and out of various vehicles for appointments and discharges from the hospital
• The Health Aid demonstrates a working knowledge of body mechanics - use of mechanical and powered-lifting aids - and devices to help facilitate safe patient movement
• They respond to all Code Ks - rapid responses - and Code Orange calls within the medical center and serves as a runner
• The Health Aid retrieves dirty non-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) from wards and specialty care areas
• They are responsible for the physical removal of foreign material - e.g
• dust - oil - and organic materials - such as blood - secretions - excretions and micro-organisms
• The Health Aid cleans and decontaminates RME according to established procedures
• The Health Aid visually examines inspection labels to ensure compliance with scheduled maintenance checks - and examines equipment for damage - deterioration or imperfections such as rust - pitting and cracks
• They send damaged or outdated equipment for maintenance or to be repaired and/or replaced
• The Health Aid actively participates in the section's in-service education and the quality assurance programs
• Duties include - but are not limited to: Identifies patient identity using approved methods (wristband - social security number - veterans' name - etc)
• Verifies the appropriate labeling on lab specimens prior to transport
• Retrieves supplies and equipment as needed from supply rooms or other locations to facilitate patient care
• Positions and repositions patients to prevent the development of pressure ulcers
• Facilitates the proper function of appliances (IV's - urinary drainage bags - etc.) during and after transfers to chairs - gurneys - etc
• Monitors patient condition for changes in physical and mental status and reports changes to the nurse
• Demonstrates proper body mechanisms when lifting and moving patients to prevent injury to themselves and patients
• Performs patient movements utilizing lifting/ moving patients to prevent injury to themselves and patients
• Responds to emergency situations to provide support to staff - and function as a runner
• Facilitates patient discharge and admission by assisting patients to and from various vehicles and other conveyances
• Monitors environment for unsafe conditions and reports to their supervisor
• Cleans non critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) and other equipment as needed to ensure availability for patient care
• Work Schedule: Full Time - Varied tours: Weekdays/Weekends/Days/Evenings/Nights/Holidays - 10 8-hr shifts per pay period
• Schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the healthcare system
• Telework: Not authorized
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Health Aid - Transporter/PD10421A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
• Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.