Health Technician (Audiology)

Summary

The Audiology Health Technician positions are designed to provide assistance to the audiologists in meeting the clinical needs of the patient population served in the clinic. Each health technician functions as a member of the Audiology staff to provide health care support.

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Duties

Health technicians are responsible for routine repairs of hearing aids delivered or mailed to the Audiology Clinic. During clinic hours, s/he meets with veterans on a one-to-one basis to solve hearing aid problems. In this capacity, the employees provide primary level troubleshooting and repair for veterans who are experiencing problems. Duties will include:

• Evaluation of hearing aid function and fit through listening checks, electroacoustic evaluation, visual inspection, changing of batteries, cleaning of electrical contacts, removal of impacted cerumen from the aid, replacing earmold tubing, inspecting and replacing receivers, and counseling the veteran in optimal use and proper methods of care for the instruments.
• When it is necessary for a hearing aid to be returned to the manufacturer for repair, the health technician prepares all necessary paperwork and records and packages and ships the instrument.
• Incumbent makes appropriate entries in the clinic's record tracking system in order to insure that the hearing aid is properly tracked during the repair process.
• Independently resets the fitting parameters of programmable hearing aids that have been returned from the manufacturers for repairs.
• Uses the most advanced hearing aid fitting technology and software to prepare the repaired hearing aids for shipping to the patient.
• Independently makes minor programming adjustments, within clinic guidelines, to increase or decrease volume, run feedback manager, add or remove program options from the programming button, and consults the audiologists for any more detailed programming changes.
• Makes minor shell changes and external component repairs. Determines if shell or programming adjustments are needed to solve patient fit problems.
• Compares electroacoustic output curves to NOAH program, makes minor adjustments to bring within compliance or sends out for repair.
• Independently determines the patient's need for loaner hearing aids based on the patient's degree and nature of hearing loss, audiological profile and hearing aid fitting rationale data.
• Independently determines patient need for assistive devices, orders devices such as Pocket Talkers and TV devices from the Denver Acquisitions and Logistics Center and instructs patients in proper use and care.
• Troubleshoots assistive devices to determine if a replacement is needed.
• ROES Entries: Responsible for entering ROES orders for hearing aid repairs, batteries and clinic supplies as necessary. Tracks and certifies hearing aid orders as they are received, as well as taking necessary steps for correcting errors or changes as they occur.
• Supply Management: Maintains an adequate supply of materials and other supplies to meet the clinic needs. Maintains stock of supplies, forms, batteries, and impression boxes in all clinic rooms. Works with Staff from Material Management to insure that supplies are ordered and re-stocked. The health technician maintains clinic records in accordance with service line, medical center and VA requirements.
• Stock Hearing Aids and ALD Management: Maintains stock of loaner hearing aids and pocket-talkers and insures they are in good working order at all times. Receives turned in hearing aids, removes from veteran's record, and determines if the aids can be used as loaners or turned in for salvage. Sends potential loaner aids for refurbishment to insure that they are fully operational.
• Equipment Management: Responsible for turning on all audiology test equipment and doing daily listening checks to insure proper functioning of audiometers. At the end of the day, responsible for proper shut-down of all audiometric test equipment. Responsible for daily cleaning of the suction pumps and other equipment in the clinic.
• Receives and screens phone calls from veterans regarding questions about their hearing aids or assistive listening devices.
• Follows up with patients to determine proper course of action to facilitate repairs or refers patient to the staff Audiologist as needed.
• Assists in triage of daily repair needs of patients for hearing aid repairs and general hearing aid questions.
• Troubleshoots patient phone calls and walk-in patients for both Audiologists and Audiology Technicians. Receives and responds to all consults sent to the clinic, in regard to amount of time needed for the appointment and urgency of the need. Verifies eligibility status of veterans through proper programs advises veteran of their eligibility status. Fills cancelled appointments as quickly as possible.
• Schedules all patient appointments according to VHA directives and within scope of Audiology Specialty Clinic guidelines.
• Serves as a liaison between manufacturers and Audiologists.
  
  

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

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  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: 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. 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 Health Technician (Audiology)

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 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.
  
  

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 collaborating with audiology team to develop training programs for patients and staff.



Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7.



Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking and standing (1 hr), near vision correctable, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid may be permitted).

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/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Jonathan M Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center

77 Wainwright Drive

Walla Walla, WA 99362

US