What are the responsibilities and job description for the Health Technician (Phlebotomist) position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
The position is in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - at the Eastern Oklahoma Health Care System VA Health Care System in the Pathology and Laboratory Medical Service located in Muskogee - OK. The multi-skilled Health Technician performs a wide range of administrative functions which include compliance to CLIA and The Joint Commission regulations for laboratory testing - clerical and health technician functions.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/13/2026. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Health Technician - 0640 has a minimum qualification entry requirement. From the descriptions below - please identify how you meet the minimum qualifications for the Health Technician position. Specialized Experience: 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. OR - Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree - with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) - applicants must also meet the following grade requirements as outlined below: You may qualify for the GS-5 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-05: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Performs patient care procedures such as venipuncture; specimen collection - and dressing application; Responsible for maintaining records for point of care testing and maintenance on laboratory machines; Accepts patient orders - prints labels - selects proper tubes and containers - PPE - labels specimens with all required information in front of the patient; collects specimens following proper tube collection or and without contamination; Performs proper sterilization techniques and minor maintenance of laboratory equipment; Cooperatively works with a variety of individuals - including patients - staff - and visitors - always portraying a positive image and providing satisfactory customer service. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. 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. (Transcripts required). OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond successful completion post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college - or university. (Transcripts required). You may qualify for the GS-6 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-06: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Performs patient care procedures such as venipuncture; specimen collection - and dressing application; Responsible for maintaining records for point of care testing and maintenance on laboratory machines; Accepts patient orders - prints labels - selects proper tubes and containers - PPE - labels specimens with all required information in front of the patient; collects specimens following proper tube collection or and without contamination; Performs proper sterilization techniques and minor maintenance of laboratory equipment; Cooperatively works with a variety of individuals - including patients - staff - and visitors - always portraying a positive image and providing satisfactory customer service. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Six months of graduate level education related to the position can be substituted for specialized experience. 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. (Transcripts required). 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/. Physical Requirements & Working Conditions: The work requires much walking through the clinic - with occasional requirements to lift objects - computer work and operating office equipment. The positions require the ability to process written and electronic information. The work requires the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally distressed patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity due to the fine skills of some of the point of care lab testing. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients. The incumbent may be required to commute between two outpatient clinics within the workweek - depending on the clinic workload. The work environment involve risk typically associated with performance of laboratory work. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautious. Environment may involve infectious diseases - contact with or disposal of body secretions - verbal - and physical abuse from emotionally distraught individuals and/or working around equipment.
Duties
The position is in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - at the Eastern Oklahoma Health Care System VA Health Care System in the Pathology and Laboratory Medical Service located in Muskogee - OK. The multi-skilled Health Technician performs a wide range of administrative functions which include compliance to CLIA and The Joint Commission regulations for laboratory testing - clerical and health technician functions.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/13/2026. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Health Technician - 0640 has a minimum qualification entry requirement. From the descriptions below - please identify how you meet the minimum qualifications for the Health Technician position. Specialized Experience: 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. OR - Education: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree - with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) - applicants must also meet the following grade requirements as outlined below: You may qualify for the GS-5 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-05: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Performs patient care procedures such as venipuncture; specimen collection - and dressing application; Responsible for maintaining records for point of care testing and maintenance on laboratory machines; Accepts patient orders - prints labels - selects proper tubes and containers - PPE - labels specimens with all required information in front of the patient; collects specimens following proper tube collection or and without contamination; Performs proper sterilization techniques and minor maintenance of laboratory equipment; Cooperatively works with a variety of individuals - including patients - staff - and visitors - always portraying a positive image and providing satisfactory customer service. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. 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. (Transcripts required). OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond successful completion post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college - or university. (Transcripts required). You may qualify for the GS-6 based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience GS-06: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: Performs patient care procedures such as venipuncture; specimen collection - and dressing application; Responsible for maintaining records for point of care testing and maintenance on laboratory machines; Accepts patient orders - prints labels - selects proper tubes and containers - PPE - labels specimens with all required information in front of the patient; collects specimens following proper tube collection or and without contamination; Performs proper sterilization techniques and minor maintenance of laboratory equipment; Cooperatively works with a variety of individuals - including patients - staff - and visitors - always portraying a positive image and providing satisfactory customer service. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Six months of graduate level education related to the position can be substituted for specialized experience. 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. (Transcripts required). 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/. Physical Requirements & Working Conditions: The work requires much walking through the clinic - with occasional requirements to lift objects - computer work and operating office equipment. The positions require the ability to process written and electronic information. The work requires the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally distressed patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity due to the fine skills of some of the point of care lab testing. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients. The incumbent may be required to commute between two outpatient clinics within the workweek - depending on the clinic workload. The work environment involve risk typically associated with performance of laboratory work. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautious. Environment may involve infectious diseases - contact with or disposal of body secretions - verbal - and physical abuse from emotionally distraught individuals and/or working around equipment.
Duties
- Operate guidelines to determine technical factors - sets controls - calibrates - and operates equipment and instruments such as occult blood analyzer Ensures proper cleaning and performs minor maintenance of laboratory equipment and adjust as needed
- Responsible for maintaining records for point of care testing and maintenance on laboratory machines
- Accepts patient orders - prints labels - selects proper tubes and containers - PPE - labels specimens with all required information in front of the patient
- collects blood following proper tube collection or and without contamination
- Determines the correct handling environment for each specimen submitted for referral laboratory testing and performs processing procedures which may be difficult - complex or non-standardized and may involve delicate and exacting steps working with specimens that may be irreplaceable such as tumor biopsy or aspirate
- Ensures fire - safety - disaster and infection control procedures are implemented by staff
- utilizes protective and supportive devices which comply with Personal Protective Equipment Infection Control Standards
- Processes tissue cultures and specimen samples related to pathology testing which require difficult specialized procedures
- Instructs patients on proper specimen collection procedures to ensure specimens are acceptable for testing
- Prepares specimens to be sent to outside laboratories - including reference and sharing laboratories - for testing not done at this laboratory
- assures the proper specimen was collected - records in the send-out book - puts specimen in the proper receptacle - packages specimen to maintain the correct temperature during shipping - completes and checks paperwork - and sends specimen to the correct laboratory
- Answers telephone calls - and coordinates information and actions relating to patient care and services
- assists patients - visitors - and others requesting information - guidance - or referral for special assistance
- Works cooperatively with a variety of individuals - including patients - staff - and visitors - always portraying a positive image and providing satisfactory customer service
- Uses courtesy and sound business etiquette in all interactions - whether interpersonal telephonic
- Performs patient care procedures such as collection of lab specimens - applying dressings - and adjusting simple supportive equipment
- Prepare patient for blood or collection according to College of American Pathologists(CAP) and The Joint Commission(TJC guidelines
- follows proper patient preparation and venipuncture while following sterile collection techniques and bandage patient appropriately following collection
- Performs patient care procedures such as collection of lab specimens - the proper collection and handling of various specimens including venous blood
- Instructs patients on proper specimen collection procedures to ensure specimens are acceptable for testing Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
- Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
- Work Schedule: Monday-Friday (8:00am-4:30pm) rotating weekends - and holidays Telework: This position is not authorized for telework
- Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Phlebotomist)/PD14453A and PD14531A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $40,736 - $59,031