Summary

This position is located in the Audiology & Speech Pathology Service. The actual location of work is at the Kerrville VA Medical Center in Kerrville, Texas, South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS). The duties & responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center including all clinical & other patient care areas involved with the service. The audiologist at this level plans, conducts, & coordinates all aspects of diagnostic evaluation and treatment of hearing impairment.

Qualifications

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
• 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 (USDE) 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
• 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 a United States state, territory, commonwealth or the District of Columbia
• The Under Secretary of Health, or designee, may appoint a candidate without a license who will be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities
• In such instances, HR office staff can only appoint these candidates in exceptional circumstances where their credentials demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area
• All audiologists who perform compensation and pension examinations perform direct patient care duties and must possess a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology and must meet the experience requirements under Section 2
• D
• See 38 C.F.R
• §
• 4.85
• Exception for Non-Licensed Audiologist
• Non-Licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for licensure, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate audiologist at the GS-11 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. §
• 7405(c)(2)
• Non-Licensed individuals shall only provide care under the supervision of a fully licensed audiologists at or above the full performance level
• Non-Licensed individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-12 grade level until licensure is obtained
• Temporary appointments of non-Licensed audiologists may not be extended beyond two years or be converted to a new temporary appointment
• Failure to Obtain Licensure: In all cases, the graduate audiologists must actively pursue obtaining the required licensure from the date of their appointment
• HR office staff will provide unlicensed audiologists with written requirements to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline
• Written notices must be provided prior to the entrance on duty date
• Failure to obtain the required credentials by the prescribed date will result in termination of employment
• Loss of Credential
• Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required licensure of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment
• HR Office staff must appoint audiologists according to the provisions in VA Handbook, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 16, who have, or have ever had, their licensure revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status
• Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• Such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• English Language Proficiency
• Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. §
• 7403(f)
• 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
• Assignment
• Employees at this grade level serve in audiologist entry-level developmental positions
• Audiologists perform audiology assessment and treatment intervention, exercise clinical judgment, adapt clinical procedures and techniques, and document in the medical record appropriate information related to patient care
• Audiologist, GS-12: Experience
• In addition to the requirements at the GS-11 level, completion of one 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
• Assignment
• This is the full performance level for staff audiologists
• At this level, audiologists are licensed to practice independently in the provision of audiologic services, consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate
• Audiologists serve as consultants to other health care professionals and are recognized 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
• Audiologists diagnose audiologic disorders, conduct audiologic, or neuro-audiologic assessments
• treat auditory disorders through various modalities
• and provide adjunctive interventions for the treatment of medical disorders
• Audiologists consult with medical center staff on various patient care issues
• Staff audiologists may be involved in program evaluation, teaching, training, and research activities
• Among the modalities provided are individual, family, and group audiologic rehabilitation
• Preferred Experience: Doctorate in Audiology/can be completing Au.D
• at time of applying Experience with VA systems, CPRS, ROES, Message Manager, Vista Experience in evaluating and treating hearing loss, tinnitus management, and balance disorders
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Qualification section continues in Education section below.

Duties

• Major Duties: Conducts, plans, and coordinates all clinical and administrative aspects of a full range of services associated with contemporary audiology practice
• Clinical duties and responsibilities include direct patient care involving a full range of audiology and treatment services, including the selection and fitting of hearing aids and other amplification systems and devices, aural (auditory) rehabilitation, and counseling of hearing-impaired veterans and their family
• Identifies and evaluates individuals with hearing disorders in the reception and perception of speech, language and other acoustic signals to a full range of patient complexity
• Administers the full range of tests and evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss for patients who may be unable to provide consistent and reliable reaction to diagnostics
• Responsible for planning, delivering, and monitoring the effectiveness and clinical outcomes of patient-centered treatment and rehabilitative services for patients with significant physical and psychological complicating conditions
• including, but not limited to, the selection and fitting of all types of hearing aids
• programming of digital hearing aids
• issuance of hearing protection devices for prevention of acoustic trauma for those individuals working in a noisy environment
• selection and fitting of assistive devices and assistive listening devices such as personal and FM amplifiers, telephone amplifiers, radio or TV magnetic induction devices for special communication problems
• and inspection, modification, and repair of amplification devices and ear molds
• Inspect, modify, and repair of amplification devices and ear molds
• Plans, conducts, and coordinates auditory (aural) rehabilitation and tinnitus 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
• Complete all documentation in accordance with facility policy
• Remain current with new developments in audiology and will maintain professional competency by reading professional journals and engaging in continuing education activities and professional learning experiences and by communicating with other professionals in the profession and related professions
• Expected to attend regular staff meetings and inter-disciplinary health care team meeting as appropriate
• review policies and procedures, and attend in-service training
• Responsible for the proper maintenance and calibration of the specialized electro-acoustic instrumentation
• Must maintain current in the knowledge of the technical aspects of both the clinical instruments as well as the calibration instruments
• GS-12: Duties include GS-11 Duties listed above: Serves as a consultant to other facility personnel involving the most difficult and complex cases and is a recognized subject matter expert on matters related to hearing and tinnitus
• Responsible for supervising, evaluating, mentoring, and precepting student trainees in audiology and maintained a liaison with affiliated colleges and universities
• He may also provide instruction to residents and interns who seek information relation to audiology
• Must have a considerable knowledge of the technical aspects of both the clinical instruments as well as the calibration instruments
• Participate in research activities pertinent to clinical audiology
• Although limited research is conducted in the clinical setting, the use of carefully executed audiologic procedures may be a part of a research design
• The incumbent may be requested to assist in gathering clinical research data
• Perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of the work is not substantial
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 1181-A and 1181-C Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized