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. In the process of doing so the health technicians are required to interact directly with veteran patients and their families in a variety of ways and settings.

Qualifications

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

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: HTA 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
• IF EDUCATION IS USED - YOU MUST PROVIDE TRANSCRIPTS WITH YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE
• 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: Health Technician (Audiology) GS-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
• 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 (under 15 lbs) - reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - both hands required - ability to see computer screen - depth perception - ability to distinguish basic colors - hearing (aid may be permitted) - working closely with others - working alone.

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 Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized