Audiology Assistant

Job Profile Summary

This role focuses on assessing the needs of patients who have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities and delivering therapy services to improve their developmental, physical or cognitive impairment. In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Audio/Speech Therapy related duties: Evaluates patients and uses sound therapy to improve physical and mental conditions. Responsibilities also include improving physical and mental conditions through treating a variety of speech disorders and communication difficulties.

Job Overview

The position supports a team of audiologists by providing both clinical and clerical assistance within audiology department. The role contributes to efficient patient flow, high-quality patient care, and the overall organization of audiology services. The position performs hands-on support tasks such as assisting with audiological evaluations (without interpreting clinical results), instructing patients and families on the use of hearing technology, and performing the technical component of newborn hearing screenings following institutional protocol, including reporting required results to state public health authorities. The position also helps with troubleshooting hearing technology devices, recommending repairs, and preparing authorization requests.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Speech Language Hearing Science, Communication Disorders, or related program.
• Licensed or eligible to become a licensed Audiology Assistant in the state of Massachusetts. This includes the completed 20 hours of observation of clinical practice with a licensed audiologist.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with young children, including children with medically complex care requirements and developmental delays.
• Experience working with hearing aid use and function.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

• Performs assistance during audiological evaluations (without interpretation of clinical results).
• Helps instruct patients and families in the use of hearing technology equipment.
• Troubleshoots hearing technology devices, recommending repairs, and drafting requests for authorization of parts and repairs.
• Maintains organization and recording of hearing technology equipment.
• Schedules appointments and meetings for audiologists.
• Maintains organization of clinical equipment and toys, clinical and research files and records.
• Enters data into databases and extracting data as needed.
• Completes clerical duties related to the hearing aid program.
• Performs and checks maintenance and calibration of audiological equipment.
• Performs the technical component of newborn hearing screenings per Tufts Medical Center protocol when coverage is needed.
• Follows established protocols for performing newborn hearing screening on all newborns prior to discharge.

Physical Requirements

• Normal office work environment.
• Outpatient clinic (or outpatient clinic) patient care area.
• Typical clinical laboratory or research lab work environment.
• Exposure to patients.
• Requires occasional standing, standing and walking & transferring of patients.
• Requires manual dexterity using fine hand manipulation to operate computer keyboard, dexterity to provide quantitative testing and manual treatment techniques to a wide variety of patients.
• Requires ability to see computer screen and reports.
• Visually assess functional status of patients, see hearing aid appliances, and audibly assess patient subjective complaints.

Skills & Abilities

• Analytical skills and judgment to interpret data and take the appropriate action in circumstances or situations vary.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Empathy, and the desire and ability to interact effectively with babies, children, and parents.
• Organization skills, ability to pay attention to detail, and good phone etiquette/customer service.
• Must possess and apply the skills and knowledge necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life span, with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.
• Familiarity with or ability to learn use of electronic health records (EPIC).
• Familiarity with or ability to learn use of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Outlook.