Job Summary

This position is located within the Environmental Management Services at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Housekeeping Aids play a vital role in the prevention of Healthcare Associated Infections and is the front line in the prevention of spreading drug resistant organisms within the Phoenix VA Hospital. This is an open continuous announcement until January 2nd, 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

Job Description

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Without more than normal supervision 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Effort Incumbent is required to stand continually during the work shift and must be able to stoop, bend, walk, do some moderate lifting, climb stepladders in completing tasks such as mopping dusting, refinishing, etc. Work is manual labor requiring good physical stamina. Occasionally requires moderate to heavy lifting, pushing or pulling. Employee exercises care to avoid on-the-job injuries and utilize protective/safety devices when required. The incumbent is exposed to a tense atmosphere when working in these areas. He/she is frequently exposed to contaminated areas, skin irritations from the large variety of sanitizer/germicidal and chemicals used. Removes damaged or stained linen, safely collects soiled linen, cleans, disinfects and makes bed upon patient discharge or transfer and transports soiled linen to a designation collection point. Working Condition Working Conditions Housekeeping Aid work in a variety of healthcare setting including but not limited to Operating Rooms, Medical Laboratories, Inpatient Medical Wards, Isolation Rooms and Emergency Department. Due the characteristics the daily functions, the Medical Supply Clerks are exposed to bloodborne pathogens or other infectious disease such as but not limited to Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Clostridium difficile (C. difficile, or C. diff) or Norovirus which places the Housekeeping Aid at risk of getting a bloodborne disease, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other infectious diseases. In Addition, the Housekeeping Aid uses products containing amines and quaternary ammonium compounds for >150 min/shift during the cleaning of Operating Rooms, Medical Laboratories, Inpatient Medical Wards, Isolation Rooms, Emergency Department and Non-Critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME). Incumbent works indoors in well-lighted, heated, and air-conditioned space. Incumbent uses cleaning solutions that may cause skin irritation. Personal Protection Equipment is required.