Summary

This position is for the Columbia VA Health Care System and provide audiology services to deliver consistent and high-quality care to Veterans with hearing and balance disorders. The audiologist at this level conducts audiological assessment - determines a patient's need for and provides amplification and/or medical referral - determines need for and type of audiologic rehabilitation and counsels the hearing-impaired Veteran and their family.

Qualifications

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: Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Education: Choose the appropriate answer that describes your education to meet this requirement
• Do you have one of the following: Doctor of Audiology (AUD) from an audiology program recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
• HR office staff and management officials may verify a program's accreditation from ACAE at acaeaccred.org and CAA at caa.asha.org
• OR - Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
• NOTE: Effective January 1 - 2007 - the CAA in Audiology and Speech- Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree or AUD programs in audiology
• Licensure: Individuals must hold a full - current and unrestricted license to practice audiology at the doctoral level in the United States state - territory - commonwealth or the District of Columbia
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for appointments at grade levels specified
• Audiologist - GS-11
• Education
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the basic requirements - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of principles and techniques in the assessment and treatment of auditory and balance disorders
• Ability to perform functions associated with contemporary audiology scope of practice as defined by the American Academy of Audiology or the ASHA
• Ability to interact with patients - families - and other health care professionals
• Audiologist - GS-12
• Experience
• In addition to the requirements at the GS-11 level - completion of one (1) year of professional experience comparable to the next lower grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level - the following KSAs are required: Skill in determining nature - type - and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders
• Skill in counseling patients and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals
• Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations
• Preferred Experience: Prefer candidate who has experience completing video nystagmography (VNG) evaluations
• 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-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12
• Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of sitting - bending - reaching - crouching - stooping - stretching and lifting moderately heavy items.Must be able to push a patient in a wheelchair and assist in transferring from wheelchair to exam chair
• See https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OCHCO/SitePages/D5019.aspx VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• The mission of the VHA Audiology Service is to optimize the functioning of Veteran patients
• Duties are to be carried out throughout all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service
• The Audiologist conducts a full range of audiological evaluations to determine the type and degree of hearing loss - determines patients' need for amplification - predicts - and measures the effectiveness of amplification - and determines need for and type of aural rehabilitation and counseling of Veterans with hearing loss and their families
• In this entry-level developmental position - audiologist performs assessment and treatment intervention - exercises clinical judgment - adapts clinical procedures and techniques and documents in the medical record appropriate information related to patient care
• Duties include - but not limited to: Assess and treat auditory and balance disorders
• Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech - language - and other acoustic signals
• Administers the full range of tests including auditory evoked potentials - video nystagmography - tinnitus - and balance assessment
• evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss
• administers compensation and pension evaluations and provides expert opinions regarding etiology of auditory dysfunctions as needed
• Recommends remedial measures to mitigate hearing loss: Responsible for direct services of a remedial and preventative nature
• The services encompass the following: selection - evaluation and fitting of hearing aids - assistive listening devices - and accessories - and issuance of hearing protection
• Incumbent plans - conducts - and coordinates auditory (aural) rehabilitation - tinnitus and/or vestibular rehabilitation programs for patients
• designs patient-centered treatment plans to assist patient and caregivers to maximize and restore to the greatest extent possible physical and social functioning
• and designs - monitors - and conducts a comprehensive hearing conservation program for employees at risk for noise exposure
• Interacts with patients - families - and other health care professionals
• Counsels' patients and family members regarding management of hearing communication - and vestibular disorders
• Counsels' patients' family and other health care providers on hearing loss - hearing loss management and provides patient educational resources
• Serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult and complex cases
• Provides professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals
• Serves as consultant to other health care professionals and are recognized as subject matter experts (SME) on matters related to hearing - tinnitus - and balance disorders
• The supervisor may assign staff audiologists to any VHA program and setting - such as inpatient or outpatient medicine - primary care - surgery - hearing health - neurology - rehabilitation medicine - geriatrics - compensation and pension
• Independently applies professional contemporary audiology treatments to the full range of patient populations
• Apply clinical skills in such areas as hearing conservation - electrophysiological assessment and interpretation - central auditory function assessment and treatment - counseling for coping with tinnitus - and analysis and fitting of advanced amplification technology
• Apply knowledge - theories - and techniques to a full range of complex adult patients
• Applies knowledge of embryology
• genetics
• pharmacology
• basic physiology/disease processes
• the effects of high intensity noise on the auditory mechanism
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am - 4:00pm
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 62083F - 62084F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.