Audiologist

Summary

Audiologist, serves within the Salem VAMC Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, providing comprehensive audiologic care. Performs diagnostic hearing, balance, and auditory evoked potential evaluations; hearing aid assessment, fitting, programming, and follow-up services; and Compensation and Pension (C&P) examinations. Prepares expert medical opinions for disability determinations and provides rehabilitative services for patients with hearing and balance disorders.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: Assess the nature, type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular 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, videonystagmography, tinnitus, and balance assessment; evaluates the type and degree of hearing loss; administers compensation and pension evaluations; and provides an expert opinion regarding the etiology of auditory dysfunction, as needed. Recommends remedial measures to mitigate hearing loss: Responsible for direct services of a remedial and preventative nature. Services include the 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 patients 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. Counsels patients and family members on managing hearing communication and vestibular disorders: Counsels patients, family, and other health care providers on hearing loss and hearing loss management, and provides patient educational resources. Incumbent 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 is recognized as a subject matter expert (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: Applies 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. Applies knowledge, theories, and techniques to a full range of complex adult patients. Applies knowledge of embryology, genetics, pharmacology, basic physiology/disease processes, and the effects of high-intensity noise on the auditory mechanism. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:45 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

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 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency. Audiologist candidates 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 Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). 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. Foreign Education. Must 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. 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. Exception: 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 may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-12 grade level until licensure is obtained. Grade Determinations. GS 11 Audiologist 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 GS-12 Audiologist (Full Performance Level) 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, GS-11. 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: Audiology licensure within the United States or United States territory and hearing aid experience. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. 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.

Education

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 mus