Medical Instrument Technician - EKG

Medical Instrument Technician - EKG

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Washington, District of Columbia

Salary Range: $57736 - $75059 Per Year

Job Summary: Electrocardiograph Technicians (EKG) operate instruments used to record electrocardiograms, exercise tolerance tests, 24-48 heart monitoring and scanning, and pacemaker evaluations. Certification is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT).

Major Duties:

• The incumbent is expected to have a basic understanding of each patient's medical history, adjusting monitoring parameters in coordination with nursing staff and orders provided by the medical team to ensure optimal surveillance. A working knowledge of pharmacology and its effects on cardiac rhythms is required to make appropriate adjustments to alarm settings and monitoring configurations. In addition to clinical duties, Monitor Technician maintains a clean and safe work environment by following standard safety and infection control procedures. Responsibilities include inspecting and maintaining equipment, requesting repairs, ensuring the cleanliness of telemetry boxes, and managing necessary supplies for monitoring services. The incumbent will assist in promptly removing defective equipment, reporting safety hazards, and adhering to infection control policies and aseptic techniques. Deviation from regular procedures, unanticipated problems, and unfamiliar situations are referred to the MIT Team Leader and/or to the Nurse Manager or designee, and the Nursing Supervisor on the off tour for assistance and/or decision making. Duties include, but are not limited to: a. Continuously monitors cardiac and hemodynamic waveforms for assigned patients, promptly identifying abnormalities such as irregular heartbeats and arrhythmias or signs of potential cardiac arrest. The Monitor Technician must not leave the central telemetry room unattended and must ensure that they are relieved by an equally qualified monitor technician, a telemetry registered nurse, or another staff member trained in telemetry. b. Utilizes the e-caliper in the central monitoring system to measure P-R intervals, QRS complex widths, QT intervals, and ST segment deviations to detect abnormal changes accurately. c. Recognizes and reports any deviations in cardiac rate and rhythm, including significant issues such as QT prolongation and ST segment changes. This monitoring occurs in response to physician requests based on established parameters and thoroughly documents all related communications in the electronic medical record system. d. Provides clear and concise verbal and/or written patient medical reports to nurses, charge nurses, and providers to ensure effective communication, and to incoming MITs/Telemetry Technicians during shift hand-offs for continuity of care. e. Performs 12-lead EKGs on a STAT basis when required and ensure prompt delivery to the nursing staff in accordance with medical center policies and procedures. f. Maintains accurate documentation of patient's cardiac rhythm status in electronic medical record such as ICCA and CPRS, including relevant clinical interpretations and commentary. g. Maintains current knowledge of telemetry techniques and professional skills through continuing education and Talent Management System (TMS) training. h. Assists in the orientation and training of new employees on telemetry operations, EKG procedures, and unit-based documentation and communication protocols. i. Operates and troubleshoots central monitoring station equipment, replaces expendables as needed, and performs routine cleaning and basic maintenance of telemetry equipment. j. Applies knowledge of standard precautions and adheres to CDC guidelines when cleaning telemetry boxes, wires, and cables. k. Coordinates and ensures the availability of transmitters, lead cables, EKG electrodes, and other essential telemetry monitoring supplies to support uninterrupted patient care. l. Verifies proper functioning of medical devices, identifies potential malfunctions, performs basic troubleshooting, and collaborates with Clinical and Biomedical Engineering staff to ensure timely resolution. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Schedule varies: Sunday - Saturday weekends, Holidays, rotate Day/Night shift Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is NOT a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy (Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3g). Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions. Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. English Language Proficiency: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the criteria discussed in the applicable headings, or that defined in the appendices, must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Education/Training: To be creditable education must have been gained in an accredited Community College, College, or University. 1. Training - Completion of appropriate training such as in-service training programs, on the job training, training acquired while in the Armed Forces, government sponsored developmental training programs, and/or training under physicians certified in the functional area will be allowed on a month-for- month basis through the GS-5 level. 2. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Specialized developmental experience obtained under supervision of appropriately certified individuals may be credited at higher levels and is addressed in individual appendices. Electrocardiograph Technician (EKG) GS-6 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 1. Ability to recognize special patient needs such as disabilities, impaired mobility, and complicating medical conditions in order to prepare and position the patient for the prescribed procedure. 2. Knowledge of the specialized equipment and accessories appropriate to Holter monitoring and ability to perform such tests. 3. Knowledge of universal precautions and sterilization techniques and ability to follow CDC guidelines in cleaning equipment. 4. Ability to monitor the patient for adverse reactions and take appropriate action. 5. Ability to operate the equipment to perform standard and routine highly specialized procedures including exercise stress testing. Electrocardiograph Technician (EKG) GS-7 Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided knowledge of the equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 1. Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress including the ability to recognize, report and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias. 2. Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures. 3. Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, and scar tissue. 4. Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians. 5. Ability to conduct in-service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation. Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications. Assignment: This represents the full performance level. Medical instrument technicians (EKG) at this level operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment to perform specialized examinations and studies involving exercise stress testing, ambulatory monitoring of arrhythmias, and indirect carotid pulse tracings on chronic patients. They monitor tracings to identify arrhythmias and when gross abnormalities appear, when to repeat certain procedures, when to stop test procedures, and when to get the immediate attention of a physician. They evaluate test results to determine appropriate machine adjustments and use alternative techniques and procedures when established procedures do not accomplish acceptable results. This includes adapting equipment and accessories to yield the best results during the examination. They edit and select an appropriate sample portion of the tracing for further interpretation by the physician. Preferred Experience: - Prior experience monitoring/interpreting EKG Strips - It is required that employees at this level have current Basic Cardiac Life Support. (BLS) certification from American Heart Association (AHA). Certification by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT) is highly desirable. 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-7. Physical Requirements: This position requires a combination of sitting, standing, and occasional crouching or kneeling, with regular and recurring heavy lifting (35 lbs. and over) and patient positioning while maintaining balance. Physical endurance and tolerance are essential for 8- to 12-hour shifts. The incumbent must continuously monitor computer screens and telemetry equipment, necessitating strong manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and keen vision and hearing. Monitor Technicians must be able to remain alert and astute in monitoring EKG rhythms for long periods of time; must be emotionally and mentally stable.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/25/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12874336. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2026-02-25