This position is located in Audiology Service at Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCS). The duties and responsibilities are carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service. The health technician supports the function of the clinical programs in Audiology. The incumbent is a staff health technician (Audiology) under the supervision of a GS-12 audiologist or above.

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 education or knowledge and skills represented by audiology licensure. Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties. In addition, the incumbent must be able to mentor and train new health technicians (Audiology). Duties include, but are not limited to: Greeting and escorting patients Triaging patients to an audiologist based on complexity of the procedures being completed. Taking earmold impressions; Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair; Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers. Performing listening checks on hearing aids Assisting audiologist in hearing aid orientations for new hearing aid fittings. Managing office supplies. Tracking loaner stock hearing aid inventory. Electronic ordering, verifying orders upon arrival to ensure components are present and working correctly. Packaging and mailing hearing aids and accessories. Processing ROES transactions (e.g. certifying and issuing hearing aids, entering orders and repairs. Work Schedule: Monday -Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 91410A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Social workers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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. 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. 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. 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: GS-7: (1) 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. (2) 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. (3)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 HTA at this 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 such as evoked potentials and Preferred Experience: Experience with hearing aids. References: Handbook 5005/143 Part II Appendix G70 dated May 13, 2021. The full performance level of this vacancy is 7. Physical Requirements: The Incumbent must have dexterity & agility to handle fragile hearing aids and microscopic instruments. The work is at times sedentary; and ambulation between various examination/treatment rooms is also required. The work requires some physical exertion such as lifting and assisting wheelchair patients. The work area is pleasant but at times noisy due to the volume of waiting patients and need to speak with those who are hard of hearing. Occasionally, it Is necessary to deal with disruptive patients. Risk normally associated with an Audiology Clinic/hospital/direct patient care are present. The primary working environment is the Audiology Clinic. Within that environment, the technician will be working with patients who have serious and communicable diseases such as AIDS, TB, Hepatitis C, and herpetic lesions. The position will require extreme care and special knowledge about the seriousness and transmission of these and other diseases. During these encounters the employee must take safety precautions, personal protective equipment, such as gloving and masking, in dealing with these patients.

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 Aleda E Lutz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1500 Weiss Street Saginaw, MI 48602 US
• Name: Priscilla Bradley
• Phone: 901-724-3441
• Email: [email protected]