This position is in the Audiology Service at VAMC Salt Lake in Salt Lake City, Utah. The duties and responsibilities are carried out in all clinical and other patient care areas involved with the Audiology service. The health technician supports the function of the clinical programs in Audiology. The incumbent is a staff health technician (Audiology) under the supervision of a GS-12 audiologist or above. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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. Experience and Education. Select the appropriate answer based on your level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Certification. Are you certified by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) as a Certified Occupational Hearing Conservations (COHC) is required for the HTA, GS-08 assignment only. 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: Experience GS-04: None beyond the basic requirements. Experience GS-05: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 level 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. AND KSA GS-05: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: At this level, candidates must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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 Ability to maintain stock and supply level inventories Skill in using basic computer software such as email, spreadsheet and word processing GS-6 Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also have completion of one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. AND GS-6 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: At this level, candidates must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. (e) Ability to prepare patients for testing procedures. Ability to document and code patient procedures. GS-7 Experience: Completion of one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. AND GS-7 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: At this level, candidates must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to mentor and train new HTAs. Ability to prepare patients for advanced testing procedures performed by the audiologist, such as evoked potentials. Ability to develop and implement the technician role for a program in a focused area of audiology. GS-8 Experience. Completion of one year of progressive experience and/or experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. AND GS-08 Certification: Do you have CAOHC certification as a COHC is required for this assignment. AND GS-8 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. At this level, candidates must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Ability to conduct employee hearing conservation education and training. Knowledge of the hearing conservation program requirements to manage records and files. Ability to perform pure tone air conduction testing. Ability to provide audiologic technical support to the employee hearing conservation program. Ability to identify a threshold shift and make appropriate referrals for further testing when indicated. Preferred Experience: CAOHC certification as a COHC is required for this assignment GS-08 References: VA Handbook 5005/143, Part II Appendix G70. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to GS-08 to. Physical Requirements: The work involves long periods of moving about the work unit. The work requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, lifting and repositioning and transferring patients. Incumbent may be exposed to patients who are combative, secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders and patients who require restraints. The incumbent must be a mature, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, demonstrating cheerfulness, compassion, courtesy and concern. Must be quick and dependable in taking emergency action in using initiative to prevent accidents. ["Primary responsibility is for patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education, including hearing conservation, 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. In addition, the incumbent must be able to mentor and train new health technicians (Audiology). Greeting and escorting patients; Triaging patients to an audiologist based on complexity of the procedures being completed; Patient set up for procedures (e.g., vestibular, neuro-diagnostic procedures); Patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss, hearing protection, or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting; Conducting hearing Pure tone air-conduction testing without interpretation for the purpose of hearing conservation and for established patients in regular VA clinic; 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; and Training of employees and patients on personal hearing protection devices. The incumbent must ensure timely and accurate documentation of all interactions in the medical records and that all encounters are correctly documented using electronic medical record and computerized tracking and ordering functions via ROES. Managing office supplies; 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); Management of hearing protection device inventory; 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; Management of infection control, patient safety, and clinical supplies for the audiology clinic; Maintenance of clean, disinfected instrumentation, equipment, and work surfaces in the audiology clinic; and Reprocessing reusable medical equipment based on facility policy according to Medical Center infection control procedures and reusable medical equipment policies. The incumbent is under the supervision of the Chief and Assistant Chief of Audiology & Speech Pathology. Health Technicians at VAMC Salt Lake are also under the supervision of the assigned Supervisory Audiologist at Salt Lake Program goals and objectives are provided. The employee is responsible for planning and carrying out the assignment, resolving most of the conflicts that arise, coordinating the work with others as necessary and interpreting policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives. The employee is responsible for carrying out the assignment under the direct supervision of the supervising audiologist. Completed work is reviewed by the supervising audiologist. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm\nCompressed/Flexible: Available\nTelework: Not available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: Health Technician-Audiology GS-05 FS-54940, GS-06 FS-54941, GS-07 FS-52076-A, GS-08 FS-54934-O\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not available\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nPCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]