Health Technician (Audiology)

About the role

The primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting, and patient education, which do not require a full professional audiology education or knowledge and skills represented by audiology licensure.

Support functions include both direct patient care and administrative duties.

Responsibilities

• Greeting and escorting patients.
• 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.

Requirements

• Direct patient care duties may include, but not limited to the following:
• 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.
• Maintenance of clean, disinfected instrumentation, equipment, and work surfaces in the audiology clinic.
• Maintaining infection control, patient safety, and clinical supplies for the audiology clinic.

Qualifications

• 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 four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with at least 24 semester hours in courses related to the position or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to the functions of the occupation.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs:
• Knowledge of anatomy of the head and neck.
• Ability to communicate clearly orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of basic hearing assistive technologies.
• Knowledge of basic infection control procedures and guidelines.
• Skill in using basic computer software such as email, spreadsheet and word processing.

Skills

• 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.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
• Telework: Situational (Ad-hoc) as determined by agency policy.
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position.