Position Summary

The Switchboard Telephone Operator / Emergency Dispatcher provides continuous, professional telephone and emergency communication services for the Northport VA Medical Center. The operator serves as a critical first point of contact for patients, staff, visitors, and emergency responders, ensuring timely call handling, accurate routing, and immediate response to emergency situations in accordance with VA policies and procedures.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Answer all incoming calls within three (3) rings in a courteous, professional manner
• Route calls accurately to appropriate departments, clinics, wards, or personnel
• Assist with authorized local, long-distance, conference, collect, and international calls
• Operate Cisco Webex and Cisco Finesse telephone systems
• Maintain call logs and long-distance records
• Receive and prioritize emergency calls and alarms
• Activate Code Blue, overhead paging, radio, and crisis pager systems
• Dispatch Police, Fire, Medical, and Emergency communications
• Ensure confidentiality in compliance with HIPAA and Privacy Act

Qualifications – Required

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Minimum one (1) year experience in switchboard, call center, or emergency communications
• Ability to work rotating shifts, weekends, and federal holidays
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Ability to work calmly under pressure

Qualifications – Preferred

• Hospital or medical center experience
• Government or VA facility experience
• Multi-line telephone or paging system experience

Training Requirements

• Completion of VA orientation and system training
• Minimum one (1) full week of on-the-job training per shift before independent duty
• Ongoing training per VA directives

Security Requirements

• Must pass VA background investigation
• Must obtain VA-issued identification badge