The Oklahoma City VA Healthcare System is currently recruiting for one Health Technician-Audiology to provide care to our Veterans as part of Audiology and Speech Pathology Service. ***This is an open continuous announcement until December 8, 2023. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.***

Duties

The duties for the Health Technician-Audiology duties include, but are not limited to the following: GS-4 duties: Manages scheduled appointments & incoming devices from Veterans w/ complaints about hearing aids or assistive listening devices Performs troubleshooting checks of hearing aids to determine if problems can be corrected in-house Cleans earmolds & hearing aids, changes earmold tubing & makes minor shell & component repairs Routes outside repairs Determines patient's need for extra components to VA-issued hearing aids & initiates ROES (Remote Order Entry System) orders for additional features w/ audiologist approval Identifies patient education needs & provides instruction appropriate to patient. Recognizes need cerumen management, otologic care, or audiological services & makes appropriate referrals Initiates ROES orders to VA Denver Acquisition & Logistics Center (VADALC) national hearing aid database. This includes transactions for patient demographic updates, assistive listening device, hearing aid registration, clinic stock, hearing patient hearing aid battery orders, remove authorized hearing aids upon turn-in, & loaner issue from VADALC stock Manages hearing aid orders in ROES database Monitors timeliness of new custom or repaired hearing aids orders to assure hearing aids are available for scheduled hearing aid evaluation appointments & issuance Monitors Audiology staff's orders for accuracy & timeliness. Communicates w/ Audiology staff regarding order inaccuracies & initiates adjustment from patient Audiology clinic records & consultation w/ staff Certifies electronic invoices for new & repaired custom-made hearing aids according to VADALC guidelines Maintains loaner & stock hearing aid inventories for Audiology Clinic & reconciles stock inventory monthly w/ VADALC report Assists Audiology staff in maintaining the Assistive Listening Device inventory & independently monitors & initiates stock level requests from PSAs Monitors & maintains inventories for supplies for ear molds, hearing aid repairs, Audiology Clinic diagnostics & cerumen management purposes Maintains clean instrumentation, equipment, & work surfaces according to Infection Control and Audiology Section Procedures Knowledgeable of VA policies & regulations pertaining to patient procedures, broad knowledge of duties, priorities, commitments, goals & policies of Audiology Clinic to perform assignments Knowledgeable of functions & procedures of related services w/in medical center, especially ENT, Prosthetics, & Nursing Performs other duties as assigned GS-5 duties: In addition to GS-4 duties Manage & prioritize all duties consistent w/ timeliness & quality of care Manages unusual problems through experience, ability & resourcefulness & exercises sound judgement & makes appropriate referrals or seeks assistance Identifies patient education needs & provides instruction appropriate to patient. Recognizes need for cerumen management, otologic care, or audiological services Providers ancillary services for routine ancillary services for routine clinical appointments as follows: screening for impacted cerumen; makes ear impressions including deep impressions for completely-in-the-canal aids; orders replacement hearing aids & earmolds through ROES; tracks orders & repairs Measures, fits, & modifies all types of custom-made hearing appliances for patients that may be complicated by several physical, mental, &or medical conditions. This work requires: 1) a high degree of skill in working w/ tools & materials, 2) a thorough grasp of Medical Center, Prosthetic, eligibility & Service-level policies & procedures, 3) a thorough knowledge of prosthetic materials, & 4) understanding of normal & disordered auditory anatomy, physiology, & external ear tissue characteristics. Performs other duties as assigned GS-6 duties: In addition to GS-4 & GS-5 duties Utilizes proper equipment to exam patients & fabricate/modify earmolds; equipment sand purposes also include, but is not limited to: brushes, clot & modified dental tools to examine, clean & repair hearing aids; chemical mixtures to repair hearing aid shells & produce impression of external ear, otoscope to inspect & demonstrate factors of external ear; operating speculum, curettes for limited management of cerumen; electronic & air-powered devices to test, clean & rejuvenate prosthetic devices & batteries; buffer-grinder & drilling power tools to modify hearing aid shells; hot air units to bend plastic prosthetic devices Performs other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Full time, Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 51982-A, 51983-A, 51984-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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: US Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it's not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance w/ VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Health Technicians-Audiology appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken & written English. Experience. Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. OR Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position. OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. An example of a combination of experience/education is three months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled and one year above high school with a minimum of 6 semester hours related to the health care industry. Grandfathering Provision. All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. If an HTA, HTSLP or HTASLP who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. HTAs, HTSLPs or HTASLPs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. 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. Grade Determinations: Grade determination requirements GS-4 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Grade determination requirements GS-5 Experience. One year of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. OR Education. Successful completion of four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with at least 24 semester hours in courses related to the position or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to the functions of the occupation. In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, KSAs: 1) Knowledge of anatomy of the head and neck. 2) Ability to communicate clearly orally and in writing. 3) Knowledge of basic hearing assistive technologies 4) Knowledge of basic infection control procedures and guidelines. 5) Ability to maintain stock and supply level inventories. 6) Skill in using basic computer software such as email, spreadsheet and word processing. Grade determination requirements GS-6 This is the full performance grade for this occupational series. Experience. Completion of one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. In addition to meeting the experience requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: 1) Knowledge of normal and abnormal ear anatomy. 2) Knowledge of hearing physiology and function to educate patients and families. 3) Knowledge of hearing aids, hearing assistive technology, hearing aid manufacturers and manufacturer software. 4) Ability to solve problems or make decisions regarding hearing aid, hearing assistive technology and patient care, consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care under the supervision of an audiologist. 5) Ability to prepare patients for testing procedures. 6) Ability to document and code patient procedures. References: VA Handbook 5005/3, Part II, Appendix G70. The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of a GS-4 to a GS-6. Physical Requirements: The work requires above average agility and dexterity. High degree of eye-hand coordination when working with the small components associated with hearing aids and ear molds. Long periods of sitting, standing, bending and walking. Patient transport requires pushing wheelchairs. Lifting/carrying light items up to 30 pounds on a frequent basis. Occasional heavy lifting of equipment or patients, within the technician 's capability. Occasionally a piece of equipment would need to be moved. Must be able to work at a desk in front of a monitor/screen several hours per day. Some stressful situations may occur when communicating with patients and their families who may have multiple physical, mental and psychosocial problems and needs.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must include your name, the school's entire name, can be unofficial transcripts, must have the name of the course, date course taken, grade received for the course, amount of credits earned for the course, date degree conferred, (if applicable), (name of degree received, (if applicable).

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Oklahoma City VA Health Care System 921 Northeast 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104 US
• Name: Jason Luper
• Phone: (405) 421-2158
• Email: [email protected]