Nuclear Medicine Technologist

The incumbent services the medical center as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist in the Nuclear Medicine Service with the responsibility for performing the routine, specialized, and new radionuclide studies for the diagnosis, treatment, and investigation of pathological disorders.

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.
• Certification. All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N). NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following:
  • Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR
  • Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB.
    • Exceptions. Non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate NMT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 (a)(1)(D). Failure to obtain certification [within 1 year from the date of appointment] is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. This may result in termination of employment.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019[, Employee Occupational Health Service.]
• English Language Proficiency. [NMTs] must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, of this part.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Nuclear Medicine Technologist, GS-5

• Experience [or Education: None beyond the basic requirements. [Certification as described in the basic requirements in paragraph 3.b. above is required.]

Nuclear Medicine Technologist, GS-7

• Experience [or Education]
  • [Developmental Level]. Certification, as described in the basic requirements in paragraph [3.b.] above, [and for the developmental level assignment,] completion of 1 year of [creditable experience] equivalent to the next lower grade level, directly related to the position to be filled (i.e., experience that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics needed to provide nuclear medicine technology services at that level) [is required.] OR
  • Advanced Entry Level Placement. See VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G17.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. [In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:]
  • Knowledge of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations [that pertain to nuclear medicine technology practices.]
  • Knowledge of the medical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and physics and how they relate to the cardiovascular, skeletal, endocrine, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary systems of the human body.
  • Knowledge of radioactive package types, package surveys, and radioactive materials record management.
  • Ability to independently use and interpret Geiger-Mueller meter.]

Nuclear Medicine Technologist, GS-9

• Experience. Completion of 1 year of [creditable] experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) directly related to the position to be filled (i.e., experience that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics needed to provide nuclear medicine technology services at that level) [is required.]
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. [In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:]
  • Ability to document excessive radiation exposure in the working environment.
  • Knowledge of medical events requiring documentation and the ability to properly document them and make recommendations to the radiation safety officer (RSO).
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing post iodine-131 therapy radiation safety precautions.
  • Ability to troubleshoot gamma camera and auxiliary equipment problems.
  • Ability to analyze computer generated data for technical quality and artifacts and initiate corrective measures.

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-9. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-9.

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.

Responsibilities:

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Performs computer acquisition and analysis of data. Selects and modifies programs to acquire patient studies. Analyzes radio imaging, in vitro, and research studies.
• Performs a wide variety of functional studies of organs/systems
• Compounds radiopharmaceuticals, preparing appropriate dosages, ensuring pharmaceutical quality of agents, ensuring that patients receive correct amounts of radioactivity, determining proper route of administration, administering radiopharmaceuticals intravenously to patients, determining need for and performing specialized injection techniques and assisting physicians in administering therapeutic amounts of radioactivity.
• Prepares imaging, counting, and ancillary equipment for patient use. Calibrates imaging cameras, by means of testing flood uniformity, linearity, spatial resolution with devices such as point sources, radioactive flood field sources, bar phantoms, orthogonal hole phantoms, and ECT phantoms. Performs daily calibration of energy settings of gamma cameras. Ascertains the accuracy of dose calibrators, well counters, and uptake units by checking the linearity of unit response with standard calibrated radionuclide sources. Routinely checks the operational status of ancillary equipment such as cardiac treadmills, GM counters, and POC lab testing.
• Performs full range of routine radionuclide imaging studies by planar, dynamic, and tomographic (SPECT) technique, along with PET-CT scans. Reviews and critiques patient studies to ascertain the necessity for additional images, and reviews clinical data. Checks patients for the presence of contamination or personal articles that may interfere with a clinically accurate study.
• Provides necessary care to patients while in the service including accurate identification, explanations of procedures, conduction of cardiac stress testing, use of safety and shielding devices, takes and records vital signs, maintains oxygen administration, performs venipunctures and starts IV's.
• In the absence of the RSO and supervisor performs all specifications of the station's radiation safety program including receipt and monitoring of radioactive shipments, conducts and records results of all necessary radiation surveys using wipe testing and GM counters.
• Receives the daily doses of radiopharmaceuticals, monitors for appropriate expected results, monitors package dose rates and records results. Performs the proper quality control procedures and checks the doses in the dose calibrator.
• Properly disposes of radioactive materials or containers and executes all necessary paper work to maintain compliance with the stations NRC license.
• Maintains equipment and notifies supervisor of any malfunctions. Notifies biomedical engineering in the absence of supervisor. Maintains adequate supplies to allow patient care to continue.
• Provides clinical training to student technologists on rotation to the VA.
• Maintains all necessary documentation including policy/procedure manuals, patient dose records, quality assurance records of equipment and radiopharmaceuticals, radioactive materials disposal records, etc.
• Instructs nurses, physicians, students, and other persons on any related aspect of Nuclear Medicine science.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $61,246