Health Technician (Audiology)
9 hours ago
The position has a high degree of visibility throughout the Clinic as a.....
The position has a high degree of visibility throughout the Clinic as a result of direct patient care provided by the Health Technician and contacts with the Veteran population, many of whom are severely disabled and are without additional resources. Professionalism, proficiency, and a high positive image are critical and required. The incumbent must perform and exhibit knowledge and skills specific to the young adult, the adult, and the geriatric patient. The incumbent must be highly motivated, seek ways to expedite care, and eliminate problematic clinical processes.
MAJOR DUTIES:
- The technician independently assesses the patient's contraindications for impressions of the ear and auditory canal, including presence of cerumen or other medical issues.
- The technician is responsible for making impressions of the ear for earmolds, custom hearing aids, and hearing aid repairs due to poor fit or changes in patient status (i.e. loss/gain of weight) including those on surgically-altered or difficult to fit ears.
- Prior to fabricating the impression, the technician is responsible for careful examination of the ear and its environs, cleaning of the area as needed, placement of an oto-block, and visual confirmation of oto-block placement/coverage. After making the impression, the technician is responsible for verifying complete removal of impression material, assessing the ear canal, and assessing completeness of the ear impression.
- The technician is then responsible for preparing, shipping, and verifying the hearing aid repair/order with the ear impression.
- Receives patients from the Audiologists and independently completes the earmold impressions
- Receives patients from the Audiologists to assist further with cleaning, education or repair of hearing aid/assistive device.
- The technician is responsible for follow up hearing aid care for patients fitted with hearing aids in order to determine the success of the physical fit and to make any necessary modifications.
- The technician questions patients and employs one or more diagnostic measures in order to determine the cause(s) of the hearing aid related problem(s) and provides primary level troubleshooting and repair of hearing aids.
- If the patient is experiencing physical adjustment or other adjustment problems associated with the hearing aid(s), the technician may independently apply one or more of the following procedures.
- Modify the earmolds, tubing, receiver length or shell,
- Repair hearing aids in house (i.e. changing batteries, battery doors, cleaning of all parts of the hearing aids, replacing tubing, replacing receivers/cords, etc.)
- Refer the patient to the Audiologist for additional counseling, recommendations and/or re-evaluation.
- The technician may be required to monitor patients with limited dexterity or intellectual capacity several times to ensure the proper use and care of hearing aids.
- When a hearing aid or assistive device is unable to be repaired in-house, the technician processes all repair paperwork and ships the devices to the VA contractor in the proper packaging. This includes properly tracking devices/repairs.
- The technician uses tools ranging from brushes/pliers to electrical hand tools to modify hearing aids or earmolds for a more comfortable fit or to change the response of the hearing aid.
- The technician determines if a patient should be referred to the Audiologist for assessment of rehabilitative needs or extensive reprogramming of the hearing aids.
- The technician is required to properly document all interactions in the medical record in the form of a clinical progress note.
- Consults with Audiologists to determine the patient's needs for loaner hearing aids from clinic stock.
- Receives and screens all calls from veterans, or incoming devices from veterans with complaints about their hearing aids or assistive devices.
- Reviews all hearing aid follow-up questionnaires and follows-up with veterans to determine proper course of action to facilitate repairs or refers patients to their Audiologist.
- Enters IOI-HA into Remote Order Entry System.
- Triages phone calls and secure messages.
- Performs cerumen removal once approved by patient's Audiologist or an Audiologist. Cerumen removal is not performed without authorization of an Audiologist.
Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00am-4:30pm or Monday thru Friday 7:30am-4:00pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Starting at $37,674 Per Year (GS 4-7)
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