The Health Technician - Audiology provides clinical and administrative support for the Audiology Service and tele-audiology program and supports the tele-audiology program and functions as a clinical tele-presenter Under the supervision of the audiologist, the incumbent assists with audiologic assessments and hearing aid services (including hearing aid selection, and hearing aid fittings, hearing aid orders, and repairs).

Duties

The Health Technician - Audiology at this grade level works under supervision and direction of a licensed audiologist. 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, and collaborating with audiology team to develop training programs for patients and staff. Audiology duties include but are not limited to: Assisting the audiologist with hearing evaluations, hearing aid selections, hearing aid fittings, and hearing aid follow-up. Performing otoscopy and hearing screenings, including pure tone, tympanometry, and otoacoustic emissions. Performing invasive procedures such as ear impressions and cerumen management (competency required). Completing Hearing aid checks, troubleshooting, and repairs. Entering hearing aid orders and repair services via ROES. Completing adjustments to hearing aid settings as outlined in the audiologist's plan of care. Serving as a technical expert in the operation and maintenance of specialized equipment. Gathering and compiling statistics for necessary reports. Coordinating activities of the clinic with medical support services throughout the organization. Participating in performance improvement activities. Managing clinic inventory including devices to be fit, loaner devices, and clinic supplies. Completing documentation in the medical record. Carrying out other duties as assigned. Tele-audiology duties include by are not limited to: Serving as a tele-presenter during telehealth encounters. Configuring, installing, troubleshooting, cleaning, and performing minor routine maintenance of assigned telehealth technology including hardware and software with assistance of Biomed and IT. Providing established standardized competency-based training, guidance and information on the use of advanced telehealth technologies to patients, staff, and providers. Providing established standardized competency-based training for telehealth technology. Participating in performance improvement activities. Developing reporting procedures, sampling techniques and measurements at various points in the telehealth processes to identify/analyze inherent weaknesses in work and procedures. Coordinating clinic setup and monitoring of workload capture and issues for assigned patient and provider clinics including telehealth resource-based scheduling. This includes placing interfacility consults as needed, prior to the scheduled appointment. Managing inventory and supplies. Completing documentation in the medical record. Carrying out other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm, with possible Saturday rotation. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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 A. United States Citizenship: You must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7407(a). B. English Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). C. Education/or Experience: 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. NOTE: applicants must include transcripts. 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. NOTE: applicants must include transcripts. NOTES: Creditable Experience: to be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities associated with current Health Technician- Audiology practice. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non paid employment as a health technician in the health care field. 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. D. Grandfathering Provision: 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). E. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must meet the following grade requirements. Health Technician - Audiology GS-07: Experience Requirement: 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 HTAs. Ability to prepare patients for advanced testing procedures performed by the audiologist, such as evoked potentials. Ability to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of Audiology. References: VA Handbook 5005/143 PART II APPENDIX G70, Health Technician - Audiology, dated May 13, 2021 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. 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 Spark M Matsunaga Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 459 Patterson Road Honolulu, HI 96819 US
• Name: Frances Medina
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]