Supervisory Audiologist

About the role

This position is located in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Service at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. The incumbent serves as a Supervisory Advanced Practice Audiologist with duties carried out throughout all clinical and patient care areas involved with the Audiology section — including University Drive and HJ Heinz Divisions as well as VA Pittsburgh's Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

Responsibilities

Clinical duties

• Uses a wide range of knowledge and skill in applying theories, principles, and methodologies in the practice of audiology to a wide range of populations
• Develops coherent treatment strategies
• Maintains knowledge of clinical services and the ability to perform them independently
• Conducts assessments and provides treatment interventions
• Provides consultation to other health care professionals

Supervisory and administrative duties

• Develops, organizes, directs, manages, supervises, controls, and implements policies and procedures for the Audiology section of ASP in conjunction with another Audiology Supervisor
• Plans, assesses, and evaluates Audiology programs/functions to ensure proper coordination between care delivery within the section and overall health care delivery
• Makes decisions affecting staff and resources with wide latitude of control and independent judgment
• Plans and schedules work assignments of Audiology staff; accepts, amends, or rejects completed work
• Assures clinical productivity and quality requirements are met
• Appraises performance and recommends performance standards and ratings
• Assigns delineated clinical privileges; approves leave; effects disciplinary measures
• Sets priorities, delegates tasks, meets multiple deadlines, analyzes organizational problems, and develops and implements effective solutions
• Analyzes and uses data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, access, and productivity within the section
• Skillfully executes interpersonal communications and fosters positive working relationships with employees, team leaders, and managers
• Utilizes evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in Audiology and guides Audiology providers in applying these tools
• Analyzes organizational and operational problems and develops and implements solutions for efficient section operation
• Skillfully executes problem-solving tasks and conflict resolution
• Verifies supervisees meet national and agency standards for OSHA and JCAHO
• Ensures work areas are clean and free of safety hazards
• Responds per hospital policy to fire drills, codes, and emergency preparedness situations
• Assures all OWCP forms are accurately completed in a timely manner per Human Resources Management Service (HMRS) guidelines
• Enforces confidentiality of patient and employee information; ensures immediate action to correct any breach
• Enforces disposal of sensitive data following applicable regulations
• Follows applicable informed consent, HIPAA rules on privacy, and protecting patient rights
• Enforces respect, equal treatment, and equal service for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, origin, disability, or reprisal

Educational duties

• Participates in professional development of colleagues through mentorship and teaching
• Demonstrates leadership in defining and attending to professional practice issues
• Keeps current with theory and practice through continuing education programs, journals, textbooks, and other literature
• Provides orientation/training of medical staff
• Orients and trains new Audiology staff
• Assists in training and supervision of students, trainees, externs, and fellows, providing feedback on progress toward established educational goals

Administrative duties

• Participates in developing guidelines and protocols, new patient programs, and evaluation of existing programs
• Complies with Advanced Access scheduling procedures as specified in VHA Directive 1230
• Maintains patient records and other data required by the clinic, service, and medical center
• Maintains supplies, equipment, and clinical areas to optimize safety and efficiency
• May be requested to serve on service-level committees or task forces or to represent the service/section on medical center, network, or national committees
• Follows applicable informed consent, HIPAA rules on privacy, and protecting patient rights

Requirements

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: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education: Doctor of Audiology (AuD) from an audiology program recognized by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) — the CAA is the only accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit entry-level audiology programs; OR other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the USDE
• Licensure: Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology at the doctoral level in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. Non-licensed audiologists who otherwise meet eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate audiologist at GS-11 under 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2) for up to two years, providing care only under supervision of fully licensed audiologists. Graduate audiologists may not be promoted to GS-12 without full licensure. The Under Secretary of Health may waive licensure for research, academic, or administrative positions with no patient care duties in exceptional circumstances. All audiologists performing compensation and pension examinations must possess full, current, unrestricted licensure and meet experience requirements under 38 C.F.R. 4.85.

Failure to Obtain Licensure: Graduate audiologists must actively pursue required licensure from date of appointment. HR provides written requirements, deadlines, and consequences for non-compliance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain credentials by the prescribed date results in termination. Loss of Credential: Management must immediately relieve employees of duties if they fail to maintain required licensure, which may result in separation. HR must appoint audiologists in accordance with Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16 if they have ever had licenses revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or placed in probationary status. Grandfathering provisions may apply to current VHA employees in this occupation who meet criteria.

Grade Determinations (GS-13)

• Experience: At least two years as a professional audiologist, with at least one year comparable to GS-12, including: practicing independently in provision of audiologic services; consulting with peers and supervisors; serving as consultant to other health care professionals and recognized as subject matter expert on hearing matters; evaluating, teaching, and training; diagnosing audiologic disorders; conducting audiologic or neuro-audiologic assessments; treating auditory disorders through various modalities including individual, family, and group audiologic rehabilitation
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to full performance level KSAs, must demonstrate:
  • Skill in conflict resolution to facilitate positive working relationships between employees, team leaders, and managers
  • Skill in applying evidence-based practices in a professional area
  • Ability to analyze organizational and operational challenges to develop and implement solutions
  • Ability to develop the abilities and strengths of