Health Technician (Audiology)
Direct Jobs, Houston, TX, United States
Summary
This Health Technician (Audiology) position serves the Audiology Section of the Operative Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston - TX. The primary responsibilities are for patient care - supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures - patient charting and patient education.
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.
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: Health Technician (Audiology) must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
Experience and Education: (1) 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 (2) Education
Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position
OR (3) 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
Certification: None
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 addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
Health Technician (Audiology) - GS-0640-7 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
Preferred Experience: Experience as a health tech working in an outpatient setting for Audiology
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-07
Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing
May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
Duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The duties of the Health Technician (Audiology) - include but are not limited to: 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 Audiology health technicians
Direct patient care duties may include - but not limited to the following: Greeting and escorting patients
Triaging patients to an audiologist based on complexity of the procedures being completed
Patient set up for procedures (e.g. - vestibular - neurodiagnostic procedures)
Patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting
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
At this level it is required to have the knowledge - skills - and abilities to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of audiology
(Focused area must be described here and must account for 25% of their duties - it may be a focus on hearing aids program - cerumen management program - audiologic rehab program - etc...
duties above can be included if part of the focused area for this incumbent.) 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
Administrative duties include - but may not be limited to the following: Managing office supplies
Tracking loaner stock hearing aid inventory
Electronic ordering - verifying orders upon arrival to ensure components are present and working correctly
Scheduling appointments
Packaging and mailing hearing aids and accessories
Processing ROES transactions (e.g
certifying and issuing hearing aids - entering orders and repairs)
Responding to routine inquiries from patients - including determining nature of hearing aid 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 clinic
Maintenance of clean - disinfected instrumentation - equipment - and work surfaces in the audiology 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 - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm - subject to change based on the needs of the facility
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 00506F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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This Health Technician (Audiology) position serves the Audiology Section of the Operative Care Line at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston - TX. The primary responsibilities are for patient care - supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures - patient charting and patient education.
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.
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: Health Technician (Audiology) must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
Experience and Education: (1) 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 (2) Education
Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position
OR (3) 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
Certification: None
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 addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
Health Technician (Audiology) - GS-0640-7 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
Preferred Experience: Experience as a health tech working in an outpatient setting for Audiology
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-07
Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing
May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment
Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
the area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
Duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The duties of the Health Technician (Audiology) - include but are not limited to: 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 Audiology health technicians
Direct patient care duties may include - but not limited to the following: Greeting and escorting patients
Triaging patients to an audiologist based on complexity of the procedures being completed
Patient set up for procedures (e.g. - vestibular - neurodiagnostic procedures)
Patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting
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
At this level it is required to have the knowledge - skills - and abilities to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of audiology
(Focused area must be described here and must account for 25% of their duties - it may be a focus on hearing aids program - cerumen management program - audiologic rehab program - etc...
duties above can be included if part of the focused area for this incumbent.) 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
Administrative duties include - but may not be limited to the following: Managing office supplies
Tracking loaner stock hearing aid inventory
Electronic ordering - verifying orders upon arrival to ensure components are present and working correctly
Scheduling appointments
Packaging and mailing hearing aids and accessories
Processing ROES transactions (e.g
certifying and issuing hearing aids - entering orders and repairs)
Responding to routine inquiries from patients - including determining nature of hearing aid 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 clinic
Maintenance of clean - disinfected instrumentation - equipment - and work surfaces in the audiology 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 - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm - subject to change based on the needs of the facility
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 00506F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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