This position is in the Nutrition and Food Service of the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System at Aurora, CO. The primary purpose of the position is to provide administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program. The incumbent performs routine duties that require exceptional customer service, computer skills, proper phone etiquette, proficiency in special food service and therapeutic diet procedures, a broad knowledge of routine modified diets, etc. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) - Specialized Experience for GS-05 grade: 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 For GS-5 grade (Transcript Required): 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. Specialized Experience for GS-05 grade: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Providing excellent customer service skills in all forms of communication (telephone, e-mail, in-person, etc.). Communicating effectively using strong listening and speaking skills. Retrieving computerized information/printouts to assist with tray and/or nourishment assembly such as standing orders, nourishment labels, etc. Ensuring food items and menu selections for regular and therapeutic diets are prepared and served appropriately (i.e. accuracy, timeliness, appearance, temperature and dysphagia food consistency levels). Verifying physician, speech language pathologist and dietitian orders for unusual diets, conflicting modifications, tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements. Assembling diet card packets and verifying correctness of the information and adherence to prescribed diet. Providing administrative support. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level. Education for GS-05 Grade (Transcripts Required): Must have successfully completed 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. Combination for GS-05 Grade (Transcripts Required): Must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and post high school education as described above that demonstrates my ability to perform the duties of this position. For the GS-05, only education in excess of 60 semester hours (2 years) is creditable. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-05. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. ["This is an OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until October 10, 2023. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be August 1, 2023. Applications will continue to be reviewed and referred at regular intervals through the closing date or until all vacancies are filled. Major duties include but are not limited to: Providing excellent customer service skills in all forms of communication (telephone, e-mail, in-person, etc.). Communicating effectively using strong listening and speaking skills. Maintaining the vital connection between Nutrition Communication Center Associates, Registered Dietitians, food service staff, Nursing, patients, Residents and guests. Creating, modifying and printing patient/Resident diet cards according to diet prescription to include texture modification, liquid consistency, allergies, likes and dislikes. Triaging calls from inpatient units and outpatient clinics and procedure areas relating to patient/Resident meal trays or nourishments. Retrieving computerized information/printouts to assist with tray and/or nourishment assembly such as standing orders, nourishment labels, etc. Ensuring food items and menu selections for regular and therapeutic diets are prepared and served appropriately (i.e., accuracy, timeliness, appearance, temperature and dysphagia food consistency levels). Verifying physician, speech language pathologist and dietitian orders for unusual diets, conflicting modifications, tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements. Maintaining the Nutrition Communication Center's phone log, answers phone calls, checks voicemail and processes requests appropriately and within established time frame. Assembling diet card packets and verifying correctness of the information and adherence to prescribed diet. Work Schedule: Sunday - Saturday, 5:30am - 7:00pm (Varying Hours) Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician (Dietetic)/PD99796S Physical Requirements: The work requires walking, standing, bending, lifting and carrying of light items, such as food trays, instruction materials, books, and manuals. NCC Associate functions require long periods of sitting and moving about in an office environment, including repetitive motion activities of the hands and fingers for extensive keyboard and computer mouse use, and office tasks such as answering and holding a telephone phone, and writing."]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year. The VA Martinsburg Healthcare System offers a wide range of health, support, and facility services for Veterans at 8 locations serving western Maryland, south-central Pennsylvania, northwest Virginia, and West Virginia’s eastern panhandle. Primary Care services are offered at the following locations. Martinsburg WV, Hagerstown MD, Cumberland MD, Franklin WV, Harrisonburg VA, Petersburg WV and Winchester VA.
OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.
Physicians interested in caring for our America's Veterans and their families, email Nicole.Carey@va.gov or call 304-620-4354.