Health Technician - Audiology

Summary
The Health Technician (Audiology) position is located within the Audiology Service at the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The HTA is primarily responsible for direct patient care, supporting diagnostic and treatment procedures, patient charting and patient education. The HTA also supports the function of the Audiology service through administrative duties which will include both direct patient care and administrative duties.
This job is open to

• Federal employees - Excepted service
  Current excepted service federal employees.
• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency
Internal Announcement Requirements - Area of consideration includes internal facility employees and/or all VA nationwide applicants and may include current permanent Federal applicants of other agencies.
This job is also open in another announcement to:

• The public
• Veterans

This job is also open in another announcement to:

• The public
• Veterans

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Duties
Direct patient care duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
a. Greeting and escorting patients;
b. Triaging patients to an audiologist based on complexity of the procedures being completed;
c. Patient instruction and counseling on hearing loss or hearing aids either on an individual basis or in a group setting;
d. Conducting hearing pass/fail screenings without interpretation;
e. Non-diagnostic otoscopy;
f. Cerumen management;
g. Taking earmold impressions;
h. Hearing aid troubleshooting and repair;
i. Providing basic hearing aid information for patients and caregivers;
j. Performing listening checks on hearing aids;
k. Electroacoustic analysis of devices;
l. Pairing hearing aids and accessories via Bluetooth technology;
m. Programming previously stored settings into hearing aids;
n. Activating remote controls.
o. Patient set up and delivery of face to face and telehealth visits by preparing the equipment for patient evaluation and other audiology procedures.
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.
Administrative duties include, but may not be limited to the following:
a. Managing office supplies;
b. Tracking loaner stock hearing aid inventory;
c. Electronic ordering, verifying orders upon arrival to ensure components are present and working correctly;
d. Scheduling appointments;
e. Packaging and mailing hearing aids and accessories;
f. Processing ROES transactions (e.g. certifying and issuing hearing aids, entering orders and repairs);
g. Responding to routine inquiries from patients, including determining nature of hearing aid inquiry and responding to administrative questions;
h. Assisting patients, visitors, and others requesting information;
i. Management of infection control, patient safety, and clinical supplies for the audiology clinic;
j. Maintenance of clean, disinfected instrumentation, equipment, and work surfaces in the audiology clinic;
k. Reprocessing reusable medical equipment based on facility policy according to Medical Center infection control procedures and reusable medical equipment policies.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:0000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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:
a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
b. Experience and Education. (1) 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 (2) Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the position. OR (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. An example of a combination of experience/education is three 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 and one year above high school with a minimum of 6 semester hours related to the health care industry.
c. Certification. Certification by the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation (CAOHC) as a Certified Occupational Hearing Conservationist (COHC) is required for the HTA, GS-08 assignment only.
d. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required certification identified for the HTA, GS-08 position must be removed from the assignment, which may also result in termination of employment.
e. Grandfathering Provision. All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard May qualify based on being covered by the
NOTE: The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07.
Physical Requirements: Position requires vision in both eyes with ability to distinguish colors and shades; ability to hear; use of arms, legs, and fingers; ability to walk and stand for 6-8 hours per day; repeated bending; ability to manage outside and inside environments; ability to tolerate fumes and odors; work closely with others and/or work alone; assist patient care using safe approved modalities. Desk work, computer work, patient care work, work with audiology machinery and parts.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  Review our benefits
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

• Benefits
  A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  Review our benefits
  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
• Required Documents
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
  
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  
  VA Form 10-2850c Application for Associated Health Occupations can be found at: About VA Form 10-2850C | Veterans Affairs.
  The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
  
  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • OF-306