The Audiology Cochlear Implant Clinical Specialist provides clinical service to veterans and other beneficiaries in VHA medical centers, clinics, domiciliaries, Community Living Centers, community care settings, and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics and by telehealth.

Duties

Duties: Serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) in audiology amplification assessment and management for patients who receive cochlear implants and their families. - Uses advanced knowledge in the focused area of cochlear implants in contemporary audiology practice to make clinical decisions and patient management recommendations. - Provides quarterly reports to staff on the status and outcomes of the cochlear implant program ensuring that program objectives are achieved, and that the status of the program is monitored. - Ensures that best practices in cochlear implant assessment, treatment and clinical problem-solving are implemented, including educating other staff members in appropriate referral criteria and guidelines, current technology, cochlear implant mapping skills, rehabilitation, and outcome assessment. - Adjusts assessment techniques and treatments to accommodate program goals based on current information and new concepts and research pertaining to the nature and treatment of patients with cochlear implants, and advanced device technology. - Oversees coordination of care between the cochlear implant mapping-only sites and the host cochlear implant site, adjusting as needed for the continued success of the program. - Directs the Audiology Section Cochlear Implant Program Secures and maintains the work area and equipment to provide a clean, safe, and therapeutic environment and to prevent loss and misuse of equipment and supplies. - Facilitates meetings of the cochlear implant team in the Audiology Section, Speech- Language Pathology Section, and other clinical services to provide interdisciplinary treatment. - Assists audiology colleagues who manage or coordinate treatment for patients who have cochlear implants. - Assesses the degree and nature of hearing loss requiring cochlear implants: identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language and other acoustic signals. - Plans, coordinates, and implements a full range of patient focused treatment services designed to optimize function of implanted devices and assure proper follow up care. - Evaluates functional status of cochlear implants and implantable devices before and after intervention using electrical analysis and functional measurements. - Coordinates care for veterans requiring cochlear implants and provides comprehensive clinical services to manage the care of veterans with cochlear implants or other implantable hearing devices: evaluation assessments, device selection, fitting orientation, training and follow up services. - Provides continuing education and training, assessment, and treatment advice, and assists colleagues as needed in coordinating care for patients who have complex cochlear implant requirements. - Confers with clinical peers in all Boise VA audiology and speech-language pathology clinics to coordinate cochlear implant services and device selection and use for patients. - Leads or participates in interdisciplinary collaboration with other medical services, primarily ENT, regarding assessment and treatment for veterans requiring cochlear implants. - Develops and expands telehealth assessment and treatment for patients with cochlear implants. - Expands remote hearing aid programming capability for veterans wearing hearing aids and with implantable devices. - Maintains active participation in VISN and national cochlear implant clinical teams. - Completes all progress notes, consults, encounter forms and documentation of patient/caregiver education in a timely manner. Work Schedule: 0730-1600 Monday to Friday Compressed/Flexible:Not Available Telework: As determined by the agency policy 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). Education. Doctor of Audiology (AUD) from an audiology program recognized by the [Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE)] or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). [ ] HR office staff and management officials may verify a program's [accreditation] from [ACAE at acaeaccred.org and] CAA at caa.asha.org. OR (2) Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Licensure. Individuals must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology at the doctoral level in a United States state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. 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). Grade Determinations: In additional to the requirements at the GS-13 level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the following KSAs are required: (a) Advanced knowledge in a focused area of contemporary audiology practice to provide oversight of a specialty program.. (b) Skill to evaluate the specialty program to ensure deadlines and goals are met. (c) Skill to coordinate initiatives and build consensus among interdisciplinary team members. (d) Ability to monitor and report on work progress in the specialty program to adjust workload and processes. (e) Ability to serve as the SME and provide education relating to the specialty program. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/167 PART II APPENDIX G29

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Boise VA Medical Center 500 West Fort Street Boise, ID 83702 US
• Name: Yolanda Gallegos
• Phone: (208) 422-1000 X7394
• Email: [email protected]