The VA St. Louis Health Care System is recruiting for a Clinical Perfusionist located in Surgical Service. The incumbent will be a skilled Clinical Perfusionist, able to operate extracorporeal circulation equipment during any medical situation where it is necessary to support or replace the patient's cardiopulmonary/circulatory function and ensures the proper management of physiologic functions by monitoring the necessary variables. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/22/2023. 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. Candidates must hold a degree in perfusion as described below in paragraphs (1) and (2) that has been accredited by either CAAHEP or EQualTM Canada at the time the program was completed. Bachelor's or master's degree in perfusion from a program in the United States or Canada accredited by the CAAHEP or EQualTM Canada. OR, Bachelor's or master's degree in addition to a post-baccalaureate certificate in perfusion from a program accredited by CAAHEP or the EQualTM Canada. Board Certification. Persons hired or reassigned to CP positions in VHA must be board-certified in the field of clinical perfusion as a Certified Clinical Perfusionist by the ABCP. The board certification must be current, and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Exception for Non-Board Certified, Entry Level Candidates. CPs who possess a letter of provisional certification from the certifying agency (e.g., ABCP), who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements, may be given a temporary appointment as a CP under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(a)(1)(D). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a CP who provides care under the supervision of a board-certified CP at or above the full performance level. This exception only applies at the entry levels (GS-5 and GS-7). For grade levels at or above the GS-9 level, the candidate must be board certified. Temporary appointments of non-board-certified CPs, may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment. The Human Resources Office will provide the CP in writing the requirement to: obtain their board certification; the date by which the CP board certification must be acquired; and the consequences for not becoming board certified CP by the deadline date. The written notice must be provided to the selectee prior to the entrance on duty date. NOTE: This temporary appointment cannot be extended or renewed. Failure to Obtain Board Certification. In all cases, provisionally certified CPs must actively pursue obtaining board certification from the date of their appointment. Failure to become board certified within two years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0601 CP series and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Board Certification. Once board certified, a CP must maintain a full, valid and unrestricted board certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure, credential, or required certification will result in removal from the GS-0601 CP occupation and may result in termination of employment. Licensure. None required, but a license or license eligibility or State required credential is strongly preferred. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determination: GS-12 Experience, Certification and Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of CP experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and have obtained their ABCP certification as a CCP. License is preferred, but not required. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Ability to apply the principles of program management and oversight required to develop program goals and objectives, administer and monitor programs, evaluate program outcomes/accomplishments, set and redefine priorities and implement effective solutions as needed to present findings and recommendations to the appropriate management officials. Ability to provide oversight, judgement and management of the application of clinical perfusion to patient care, organization processes and/or systems and long/short range goals, with a focus on delivering patient care and achieving program outcomes. Expert level of knowledge of best practice in the perfusion profession. Ability to validate or identify barriers to safe effective care, and manage all aspects of clinical perfusion, technical, fiscal, and administrative including daily assignments and call schedule preparation. Ability to serve as a liaison, interfacing with other departments to incorporate the expertise of all disciplines in a comprehensive, integrated approach to patient care. Ability to develop, coordinate, review organizations and accrediting agencies, and manage a perfusion regulatory program including follow-up actions to ensure departmental compliance with regulatory agencies as required. Preferred Experience: 3-5 years of CP experience and Board Certified Clinical Perfusionist. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G63 Clinical Perfusionist Qualification Standard GS-0601. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. ["Duties include, but are not limited to: Assesses, plans, and evaluates the clinical perfusion program to ensure proper coordination of care. Oversee all aspects of perfusion documentation for the clinical perfusion department. Evaluate the delivery system of patient care within the area of assignment, present findings, and recommendations, and contribute to changes that enhance the quality and timeliness of care. Perform clinical teaching, didactic teaching and provide recurring in-service training to ensure the competency of staff. Conduction and/or participation in collaborative research/adjunctive therapies and communication of findings through reports, abstracts, presentations, and publications. Serve as the clinical education coordinator for perfusion students; establishing, negotiating, and maintaining perfusion student agreements; coordinating clinical training rotations; and designing, conducting and evaluating educational experiences with the affiliated university. Perform cardiopulmonary bypass as directed by the cardiac surgeons. Provide heparin management for endovascular cases, will monitor patient care in the SICU/PACU until sign off, will provide emergency circulatory support for code and ER patients, will provide perfusion back up coverage for a busy diagnostics and therapeutic two room cardiac catheterization lab, will provide emergency on-call coverage as specified for emergency open-heart perfusion, auto-transfusion, LVAD, RVAD, and BiVAD patients, and will provide 24/7 coverage in the SICU when a patient is on ECMO. Operate the heart-lung machine, intra-aortic balloon pump, cell saver and blood salvaging equipment, and ventricular assist devices during open heart and coronary by-pass surgery for patients representing the most complex and critical cases. Analyze blood gasses and laboratory results in preparation for cardiopulmonary by-pass or while conducting cardiopulmonary by-pass. Operate the equipment during heart transplantation. Provide training to lower grade clinical perfusionist, cardiac catheterization technicians, and ICU staff regarding all aspects of perfusion services. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., nights, & weekend call Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 523-F02902 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required EDRP Authorized: Eligible; EDRP POC: Carrie Muller-Rice (Carrie.Muller-Rice2@va.gov)"]
About Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
