Health Technician (Audiology)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Ventura (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, within the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, seeks a Health Technician to support clinical programs in audiology.

Responsibilities include direct patient care, equipment maintenance, and administrative duties across Audiology services. The role requires US citizenship, English proficiency, and a mix of education/experience as defined by VA standards.

Qualifications

• US citizenship required per VA policy
• Six months of experience at next lower level or equivalent education
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Two academic years above high school with related courses or higher
• Combination of experience and education allowed
• Physical capability to sit/stand/walk for prolonged periods and fine-eye hand coordination

Responsibilities

• Direct patient care: greet and escort patients
• Prepare patients for tests and group/individual instructions
• Conduct non-diagnostic hearing screenings
• Perform cerumen management and earmold impressions
• Troubleshoot and repair hearing aids; pair devices via Bluetooth
• Schedule appointments and manage office supplies
• Maintain infection control and clean/disinfect equipment

Skills

English proficiency

Education

Associate degree or higher

Job description

Summary

This position is located in the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service within the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. The duties and responsibilities are carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology & Speech Pathology service. The health technician supports the function of the clinical programs in Audiology.

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


• 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


• 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)


• Grade Determinations: Health Tech (Audiology) GS-07: Experience


• Completion of one year of progressive experience and/orexperience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to theposition 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


• 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: The incumbent must have the ability to sit - stand - and walk for prolonged periods


• There must also be a high degree of eye-hand coordination when working with the small components associated with hearing aids and earmolds


• Ability to assist or lift a patient may also be required occasionally.

Duties

• Duties include but are not limited to: Direct Patient Care: Greeting and escorting patients


• 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


• Administrative Duties: 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 - 8:00AM - 4:30PM Compressed/Flexible: At Management's Discretion Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position


• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized