The Health Technician (Audiology and Speech Pathology) is located within Audiology and Speech Pathology service at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital. The duties and responsibilities are carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology and Speech service. Supporting the functions of the clinical programs in Audiology and Speech Pathology. This position is under the supervision of a GS12 or above audiologist or speech language pathologist.

Duties

Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education, which do not require a full professional audiology and speech pathology education or knowledge and skills represented by audiology and speech pathology licensure. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties. In addition, the Health Technician (Audiology and Speech Pathology) must be able to mentor and train new health technicians. Direct patient care duties may include, but not limited to the following: Greeting and escorting patients; triaging patients to an audiologist or speech pathologist based on complexity of the procedures being completed; patients set up for procedures (vestibular, neurodiagnostic procedures, modified barium swallow studies -including transport to/from Radiology, flexible endoscopic evaluation, videostroboscopy, tracheoesophageal puncture changes, etc). Patient instruction and counseling on: hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting, dysphagia supply use (thickener, Provale cup, Wedge cup, Safe Straw). Conducting hearing pass/fail screenings without interpretation; non-diagnostic otoscopy, cerumen management, taking earmold impressions, hearing aid troubleshooting and repair. Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers. Performing listening checks on hearing aids, electroacoustic analysis of devices. Pairing hearing aids and accessories via Bluetooth technology. Programming previously stored settings into hearing aids; activating remote controls. Ensuring timely and accurate documentation of all interactions in the medical records and that all encounters are correctly documented using electronic medical record and computerized tracking and ordering functions via ROES. Creating VA virtual connect links; managing office supplies; tracking clinic stock inventory, ordering and restocking, electronic ordering verifying orders upon arrival to ensure components are present and working correctly, packaging and mailing hearing aids, speech supplies and accessories, processing ROES transactions (certifying and issuing hearing aids, entering orders and repairs). Responding to routine inquires from patients, including determining nature of hearing aid or other inquiry and responding to administrative questions, assisting patients, visitors, and others requesting information, management of infection control, patient safety, and clinical supplies for the audiology and speech clinic, maintenance of clean, disinfected instrumentation, equipment, and work surfaces in the audiology and speech clinic. Reprocessing reusable medical equipment based on facility policy according to Medical Center infection control procedures and reusable medical equipment policies. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30AM to 4:00PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 70951F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized 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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency. HTA, HTSLP or HTASLP candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403 (f). Experience and Education. 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to mentor and train new HTASLPs. Ability to prepare patients for advanced testing procedures performed by the audiologist, such as evoked potentials. Ability to identify the diagnosis and dysphagia risk factors in the medical record to assist the SLP. Ability to identify the components of dysphagia monitoring. Knowledge of linguistic parameters such as semantic, syntactic and phonological categories, to assist in creating therapeutic stimuli and home programs. Ability to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of audiology and/or speech-language pathology. Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The HTASLP works under the direction of a licensed audiologist or SLP. Assignments associated with this position include, but are not limited to completing adjustments to hearing aid settings as outlined in the audiologist's plan of care, preparing patients for advanced diagnostic procedures such as evoked potentials and collaborating with team to develop training programs for patients and staff. Under the direction of the SLP, assignments associated with this position include, but are not limited to: completing communication and swallow screenings including review of medical history, imaging reports and diet orders; and generating therapeutic stimuli and home programs for complex treatments such as cognitive and aphasia treatment. This health technician may collaborate with the health care team to develop educational materials for patients and staff and processes for monitoring patient safety initiatives as outlined in established policies. Preferred Experience: References: VA Handbook 5005/143 PART II APPENDIX G70 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS07. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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 James A Haley Veterans Hospital 13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Tampa, FL 33612 US
• Name: Paula Velez
• Phone: 708-953-6248
• Email: [email protected]