Health Technician (Audiology)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Orlando (FL); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Orlando VA Healthcare System seeks a staff health technician (Audiology) to support hearing care services under a senior audiologist. The role covers clinical areas and future sites of care, with focus on patient instruction and hearing aid operations.

Telework is available ad-hoc; the position requires adherence to VA qualification standards and involves ensuring accurate documentation and patient care in audiology procedures.

Qualifications

• Six months of related health care experience or education as required by VA.
• Knowledge of ear anatomy and hearing function to educate patients.
• Familiarity with hearing aids and assistive technologies.

Responsibilities

• Patient instruction on hearing loss and devices.
• Assist with otoscopy and earmold impressions.
• Troubleshoot hearing aids and perform basic device checks.
• Document interactions accurately in medical records using ROES.

Skills

Ear anatomy knowledge

Hearing physiology knowledge

Hearing aids/HA technologies

Patient education

Documentation and coding (EMR/ROES)

Problem solving

Education

Associate degree or higher in health-related field

Tools

ROES

EMR systems

Job description

Summary

This position is located in the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service at Orlando VA Healthcare System. The duties and responsibilities to be carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service including future sites of care not specifically listed. The incumbent is a staff health technician (Audiology) under the supervision of a Senior Audiologist. ** Relocation/Recruitment Incentive Offered**

Summary

This position is located in the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service at Orlando VA Healthcare System. The duties and responsibilities to be carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service including future sites of care not specifically listed. The incumbent is a staff health technician (Audiology) under the supervision of a Senior Audiologist. ** Relocation/Recruitment Incentive Offered**

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

• 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 by38 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 least12 semester hours in courses related to the position
• 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
• 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
• Grandfathering Provision
• All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: They may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• If an HTA - HTSLP or HTASLP who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation - the employee will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• HTAs - HTSLPs or HTASLPs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Grade Determinations: GS-06 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: Knowledge of normal and abnormal ear anatomy
• Knowledge of hearing physiology and function to educate patients and families
• Knowledge of hearing aids - hearing assistive technology - hearing aid manufacturers and manufacturer software
• Ability to solve problems or make decisions regarding hearing aid - hearing assistive technology and patient care - consistent with the documented and co-signed plan of care under the supervision of an audiologist
• Ability to prepare patients for testing procedures
• Ability to document and code patient procedures
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - pulling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: Patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting
• Immittance screening without interpretation
• Non-diagnostic otoscopy - taking earmold impressions - hearing aid troubleshooting and repair
• Providing basic haring aid information for patients and caregivers - performing listening checks on hearing aids - analysis of devices function
• Pairing hearing aids and accessories via Bluetooth technology - programming previously stored settings into hearing aids - activating remote controls
• Assist in setting up and delivering face-to-face and telehealth/virtual visits by preparing the equipment for patient evaluation and other audiology procedures
• 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
• Responsible of telephone and/or mail communications both within the clinic and within the facility as a whole
• 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 - and packaging and mailing hearing aids and accessories
• Work Schedule: To be determined Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 82585F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized.