Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Clinical Duties:

• Patient care - expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease, and care at end of life.
• Medical/Clinical Knowledge: Expected to demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving evidenced based practices, and application of knowledge of patient care and the education of others. Incumbent monitors and ensures provision of evidence based, patient centered diagnosis and treatment of disorders consistent with his/her training, scope of practice, and competencies, and privileges.
• Clinical Judgment: ensure evidenced based learning and improvement, Audiologist are to use scientific evidenced based practice methods to investigate, evaluate and improve patient care.
• Interpersonal and communication skills: able to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, other healthcare team members, whether internal/external. Competent in written documentation for patient care and administrative duties.
• Professionalism: Audiologist are expected to demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and understanding and sensitivity to diversity, and a responsible attitude toward their patients and their profession.
• Systems based practice: expected to demonstrate both an understanding of the contexts and systems in which health care is provided, and ability to apply this knowledge to improve optimizing healthcare.
• Telehealth: provide telehealth services to appropriate patients, through means of Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT), VA Video Connect (VVC), and other telehealth means approved by VA. Additionally, return phone calls and contact patients as necessary through telephone.
• Provide individualized evaluation and treatment: Will utilize standard medical evaluation procedures and evaluation to evaluate and develop a treatment plan. The incumbent shall incorporate various evidenced based treatment techniques. The incumbent will collaborate with the interdisciplinary team, including PM&R to ensure the whole health approach to patient centered care. Provide individualized evaluation and treatment: Utilize standard medical evaluation procedures and evaluation to develop treatment plan. Completes evaluations, re-evaluations, plan of care, treatments, and discharges. Responsible for coordination and supervisor of treatment plans with Health Technicians (Hearing) as well as oversees treatment provide by them, as well as students.
• Provide group Audiology Services: Provide group audiology services, as determined, to be medically indicated and appropriate.
• Complete clinical notes in electronic health record system: Documents and code information for billing related to patient care in the VA's electronic health care record on a timely basis following VHA policies. Communicates with other health care providers as appropriate
• Administration: Reviews referrals, screen for appropriateness of care, and direct Veterans to other services when necessary. Is the subject matter expert (SME) on audiology and speech services and will provide guidance when requested regarding purchased care. Knowledge of complex issues surrounding the delivery of care as it relates to audiology and speech services, such as evidenced base practice and cost effectiveness. Problem solve issues in the delivery of care. The incumbent will collaborate directly with other Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation staff as indicated.
• Cerumen management to prevent obstruction of the external ear canal and of amplification devices.
• Maintain trainings and attend required meetings: Maintain up-to-date VHA and professional trainings. Required meetings must be attended, or representative will attend if patient care emergency arises. Attends patient/family meetings, committee meetings, and interdisciplinary meetings as assigned/ directed. Responsible for individual professional development, attends evidenced based clinical educational courses to assure continued competency by establishing, maintaining, and updating professional performance, knowledge, and skills to promote a progressive treatment environment.
• Other: Expected to complete all other duties as assigned, including all other duties of a staff audiologist.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not available.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Audiologist, FS 503-03615F

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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 Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). HR office staff and management officials may verify a program's accreditation from ACAE at acaeaccred.org and CAA at caa.asha.org. 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 3 Speech- Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree or AUD programs in audiology.
• 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.
• 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. (1) 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. (2) 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
• English Language Proficiency: Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations: Audiologist, GS-12

Education: In addition to the requirements at the GS-11 level (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.), completion of one year of professional experience comparable to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Skill in determining nature, type, and severity of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.
2. Skill in counseling patients and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders.
3. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional audiology to other health care professionals.
4. Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Work includes regular and recurring physical excretion with long periods of standing, bending, kneeling, walking, reaching, gripping, sitting, twisting, pulling or pushing carts with inventories or activities involving retrieving items from shelves and cabinets, and patient transfers. Moderate to heavy lifting is often required. Position requires lifting patients, crouching and crawling on mats, and occasionally defending him/herself against combative patients. Moderate risks or discomforts requiring normal safety precautious typical of a hospital setting. Need to follow universal infection control precautions that may include "gown and glove" when treating patients.

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.