Psychology Technician - Neuropsychology

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Psychology Technician specializing in neuropsychology to perform technical work in testing and direct services within a research and clinical program.

You will administer, score, and interpret a range of neuropsychological measures for a diverse patient population. The role emphasizes in-depth multi-domain cognitive assessments, attention to cultural and language factors, and documentation for program evaluation and patient care, with occasional

Qualifications

• Experience administering and scoring neuropsychological tests.
• Ability to conduct in-person comprehensive assessments.
• Consideration of cultural and linguistic factors in test validity.
• Ability to perform testing with telehealth when needed.

Responsibilities

• Administers and scores neuropsychological tests.
• Performs comprehensive neuropsychological assessment batteries.
• Maintains rapport and ethical testing procedures with patients.
• Documents test results in medical records and test protocols.

Skills

Neuropsych testing

Test administration

Clinical interviewing

Rapport building

Tools

WAIS (admin/scoring)

WMS

RAVLT

CEFI tests

Job description

Summary

The Psychology Technician position involves the performance of technical work in a program of research and direct services in neuropsychology. This position involves a practical understanding of many of the principles - methods and techniques of psychology. Psychology Technician work is performed for its immediate productive value - is typically limited in breadth - and does not provide substantial development of broader psychological skills - knowledge - and insights.

The Psychology Technician position involves the performance of technical work in a program of research and direct services in neuropsychology. This position involves a practical understanding of many of the principles - methods and techniques of psychology. Psychology Technician work is performed for its immediate productive value - is typically limited in breadth - and does not provide substantial development of broader psychological skills - knowledge - and insights.

Duties

• Major Duties: Independently administers and scores neuropsychological assessment instruments - including complex standardized tests of intelligence - academic achievement - attention - memory - speech language functions - visuospatial/constructional skills - motor skills - and executive functions - as well as cognitive screening tools and extended batteries designed to assess neuropsychological abilities
• The instruments used include specialized - complicated neuropsychological assessment techniques - beyond introductory assessment knowledge - requiring more extensive training and skill in administration and scoring
• Some of the specific - complex measures used for these purposes include WeschIer Adult Intelligence Scale - WeschIer Individual Achievement Test - Reynolds Intellectual Screening Test - Wide Range Achievement Test - Wechsler Memory Scale - California Verbal Learning Test - Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test - Hopkins Verbal Learning Test - Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Controlled Oral Word Association Test - Neuropsychological Assessment Battery - Judgement of Line Orientation - Wisconsin Card Sorting Testing - Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System - Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status - Grooved Pegboard Test
• While on rare occasions duties may include only screening of behavioral - cognitive - psychological - and other symptoms - the majority of assessments will involve in-depth comprehensive neuropsychological assessment of multiple domains of cognition as described above and assessment of psychological functioning
• Conducts a comprehensive battery of standardized neuropsychological tests - during in-person/face-to-face appointments
• On rare occasions - brief assessments may be conducted via telehealth or comprehensive assessments may include a combination of in-room/face-to-face testing and remote/room-to-room testing within the clinic
• Provides services to a subset of patients who exhibit complex diagnoses - such as patients with severe neurological disorders - including traumatic brain injuries - stroke - seizure disorders - aphasia - neurosyphilis - Alzheimer's disease - Parkinson's disease - Huntington's disease - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - multiple sclerosis - and severe mental health conditions - such as bipolar disorder - posttraumatic stress disorder - and substance use disorders
• Administers tests to patients of diverse backgrounds - with awareness of cultural and linguistic factors that may impact test validity
• This may include further assessment of language preferences - administration of tests that aid the neuropsychologist in determining language proficiency - and/or administration of a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological and psychological tests in Spanish - if the applicant is fluent in Spanish
• Administers and scores measures for purposes of assessment of emotional status - personality - and/or functional capability
• Measures used for these purposes include complex measures such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions - Geriatric Depression Scale - and Beck Depression Inventory
• Provides patients and/or significant others with a rationale for specific testing procedures
• Operates equipment such as computers - tape recorders - or other specialized assessment equipment
• Uses computers for purposes of data entry - scoring - and analysis for program evaluation and research purposes
• Encourages the cooperation of patients during the entire assessment procedure through the use of evidence-based motivational interviewing techniques
• Establishes and maintains effective rapport with all types of patients and provides an appropriate - non-threatening setting for optimal test performance by patients
• Provides sensitive communication with patients with disabilities and adapts assessment approaches or procedures in a manner to meet any special problems or needs related to these disabilities
• This may include using assistive devices or other adaptations to minimize the impact of vision - hearing - or other sensory limitations for optimal test performance by patients
• Provides verbal and written observations of patient test behavior
• Observes atypical habits - physical disabilities - emotional and personality features - and any previous injury that might have a bearing on test performance
• Collect relevant demographic and psychosocial information from a patient and/or collateral informant
• Document relevant demographic information in medical records and on test protocols as needed
• Major Duties Continues in Qualification section below: Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM - Monday - Friday Telework: Ad-hoc only
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Psychology Technician - Neuropsychology/PD00712A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized