Audiologist, Sr. - Full Time, Days Job Listing at UChicago Medicine in Chicago, IL (Job ID 2024-70039)

Description

Be a part of a world-class academic healthcare system at UChicago Medicine as an Audiologist with our Pediatric Audiology Clinic. Under the direction and supervision of the Clinical Director of Audiology and Section Administrator (BSD).  Provides Audiology services for inpatient newborns in both a general nursery and the level III Intensive care nursery.  Provides supervision and training of technicians testing newborn hearing.  Provides prompt and efficient attention to patient needs.  Manages and performs administrative duties related to the clinical role.

Audiologic Evaluations:

• Basic diagnostic evaluation of the functional status of the peripheral auditory system in children and interpretation of these results. This includes tympanometry, acoustic reflex thresholds and decay testing.
• Electrophysiologic evaluation of the functional status of the peripheral and central auditory systems in children and interpretation of these results. This includes Auditory Brainstem Response and Otoacoustic Emissions evaluations.
• Reviewing test results with the patient and their family, which would include patient education, counseling and appropriate educational referrals.

Communication/Reports:

• Written reports of all audiologic test results and evaluations and recommendations to the UCH chart and referral source or pediatrician of record.
• Narrative written reports of Audiologic test results and recommendations and hearing aid recommendations to referral agencies such as Illinois Specialized Care for Children (DSCC).
• Monthly numeric reports to Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for tracking Universal Hearing Screening.
• Report forms to IDPH on each screening "referral" and follow-up diagnostic reports.
• Discussion of Audiologic test results and recommendations with OHNS attending and resident staff, attending and resident staff from other UCH clinics, such as Pediatrics, Neonatology, Neurology, Opthamology or other appropriate referral source.
• Discussion of audiologic test results and recommendations with the patient and patient's family, which could include patient education, counseling, and appropriate education referrals.
• Maintain written documentation of transactions regarding the patient, such as telephone conversations with families or other professionals involved in the patient's case.
• Attend regular Audiology staff meetings.
• Attend weekly Nursery Intensive Care Unit (NICU) rounds.
• Make appropriate referrals to outside agencies that would include educational referrals.
• Schedule appointments in EPIC for Audiologic evaluations, ABRs, repeat ALGO, hearing aid evaluations and checks. Inform (verbal or written) patient family of special instructions, if needed, for the scheduled appointment.
• Maintain a NICU computer database which would include names of infants, high risk factors, birth weight, DOB, how premature, pass/fail status, schedule follow-up appointments for the infants that need additional testing or follow-up.
• Maintain a general nursery computer database which would include names of infants, DOB, any known high risk factors, pass/fail status, schedule follow-up appointments for infants that need additional testing or follow-up.

Supervision of UNHS technicians:

• Provide initial training on use of ALGO 2e hearing screener and Audex OAE screener and all test protocols.
• Provide training on record keeping.
• Provide ongoing supervision of all testing with a minimum of 2 hours per week per technician of direct observation of test procedures.
• Review all test results obtained by technicians.

Other:

• Develop and conduct Quality Assurance projects to monitor and document adequacy of the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening program.
• Participate in UCH studies when appropriate and provide follow-up recommendations to the study patient's family.
• Participate in continuing education courses/seminars/workshops related to the practice of clinical Audiology and specifically, to infant hearing.
• Provide patient education to the patient and to the patient's family.
• Provide inservice training for appropriate nursery personnel.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master of Science/Arts in Audiology is required.  The candidate must have completed the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence.  This includes successful completion of the national board examination and of the Clinical Fellowship Year.  The candidate must hold current Illinois Department of Professional Regulation License for Audiology.
• Minimum of four years experience as a clinical audiologist required, preferably as staff audiologist at the University of Chicago Hospitals or in a comparable teaching university hospital setting.  Consistent demonstration of excellent performance as evaluated by supervisor in conducting the responsibilities enumerated in the staff Audiology position description
• Extensive technical expertise in the evaluation and treatment of hearing disorders in children.  Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) and Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE).
• Candidate should demonstrate proven ability to consistently perform assigned tasks promptly and with a high level of customer satisfaction.  Ability to handle contacts with patients, families, physicians, nurses and/or external contacts courteously and pleasantly while providing prompt and efficient attention to customer needs is also essential.
• Requires skill in handling sensitive matters and patients/families with tact, courtesy and discretion.  Requires excellent verbal communication skills, particularly with respect to one-on-one interpersonal communication.  Requires demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently; including determining priorities, organizing work, working independently, and working in a fast paced environment.
• Requires extensive knowledge of early development of auditory structures and auditory behavior.  Requires understanding of the effects of hearing loss on the development of the child and on family dynamics.
• Computer and typing proficiency (minimum 30 words per minute) is required for data entry functions and utilizing internal information systems.

Position Details:

• Job Type/FTE: Full Time (1.0 FTE)
• Shift: Days – 8 hour shift, M-F with weekend coverage (at least 1 weekend per month)
• Unit/Department: Audiology 
• CBA Code: Non-Union