Pediatric Audiologist - NICU and Inpatient Diagnostics

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center : Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Pediatric Audiology

Job Summary:

JOB SUMMARY

Evaluates, treats and counsels patients with hearing and vestibular disorders to improve communication function and postural stability independently. Initiates collaboration with health care team to meet patient care, outcomes and system improvement objectives. Increases the visibility of the department and profession through activities that occur in, at least, the state and region.

Pediatric Audiologist - NICU and Inpatient Disgnostic and Hearing Aids

Location:

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt | Nashville, TN

Schedule:

4 x 10-hour shifts (weekday coverage) plus on-call weekend coverage approximately once per month (flex day off the following week)

About Vanderbilt Health

Be part of an organization redefining what's possible in healthcare. Vanderbilt Health is home to one of the nation's largest transplant centers by volume and continues to set records for life‑saving care and clinical innovation. Through groundbreaking research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to patient outcomes, Vanderbilt Health is transforming lives every day.

About Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is a freestanding children's hospital on Vanderbilt University Medical Center's main campus and a regional referral center for infants and children across Middle Tennessee and the Southeast.

Consistently recognized among the nation's leading pediatric hospitals, Monroe Carell is home to a Level IV NICU and a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, providing highly specialized care for medically complex pediatric patients. Our teams are committed to delivering outstanding outcomes through innovation, collaboration, and family‑centered care.

About Pediatric Audiology at Vanderbilt Health

The Division of Pediatric Audiology provides comprehensive pediatric hearing care across multiple regional sites and the main campus, including dedicated inpatient and outpatient teams within Monroe Carell.

Our work is grounded in family‑centered care, timely diagnosis, rapid access to appropriate technology and intervention, and close interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly for children with complex medical needs. We also support training and clinical education in partnership with Vanderbilt University's nationally recognized #1‑ranked Au.D. program (U.S. News & World Report).

Job Summary

We are seeking a Pediatric Audiologist to provide inpatient diagnostic audiology and amplification services for medically complex infants and children at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.

This role is primarily focused on diagnostic Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing in the operating room (OR), sedation suite, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), with additional bedside testing in critical care settings when clinically indicated, including PICU consultations.

Our inpatient model emphasizes diagnostic assessment for NICU infants, rather than screening.

This position is a strong fit for an audiologist who is confident with pediatric diagnostics, thrives in a hospital‑based environment, and enjoys collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to deliver exceptional patient care.

What You'll Do

• Perform pediatric diagnostic audiologic assessments for inpatients, with a primary focus on ABR testing in the OR, sedation suite, and NICU.
• Complete additional physiologic measures as indicated, including OAEs, tympanometry, and acoustic reflexes.
• Provide bedside testing when needed in critical care environments including PICU evaluations for children with acute medical conditions such as meningitis.
• Provide amplification services and hearing aid support for infants identified with hearing loss in the NICU, including family counseling and coordination of follow‑up care.
• Communicate effectively with physicians, nurses, therapists, and other interdisciplinary partners to coordinate testing, interpret findings, and support timely patient care decisions.
• Document results, recommendations, and follow‑up plans within the electronic medical record (EPIC) and ensure appropriate follow‑up planning and handoffs.

Learning Health System & Continuous Improvement

• Use clinical and operational data to identify opportunities to improve access, accuracy, and timeliness of care.
• Participate in piloting and rapidly implementing new workflows, tools, and procedures that improve patient and family outcomes.
• Share what you learn with colleagues and trainees to support system‑wide improvement.

Clinical Teaching & Supervision

As part of Vanderbilt's academic mission, inpatient audiologists mentor and supervise Au.D. students affiliated with Vanderbilt University.

Following onboarding, clinical education training, and approximately one year in the role, you will be expected to provide clinical supervision and contribute to a supportive learning environment for future audiologists.

Required Qualifications

• Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) from an accredited program.
• Tennessee Audiology license or eligibility for licensure.
• Demonstrated skill in pediatric diagnostic audiology
• ABR competency is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in inpatient pediatric audiology NICU, PICU, OR or sedation settings.
• Experience providing amplification services for infants, including hearing aid selection, fitting, verification, follow‑up, and family counseling.
• New graduates are encouraged to apply if they completed a high‑volume ABR‑focused externship or fourth‑year placement and can demonstrate readiness for an inpatient diagnostic role. Experienced pediatric audiologists are preferred.

Why Choose Vanderbilt Health?

• Day‑One Benefits - Medical, dental, vision, paid time off, and retirement benefits.
• Free Continuing Education - Department‑sponsored educational offerings and clinical development opportunities.
• Collaborative Team Environment - Partner with physicians, nurses, speech‑language pathologists, therapists, and other healthcare professionals.
• Patient‑First Culture - Deliver exceptional care in an environment that values quality outcomes and individualized treatment.
• Nationally Recognized Excellence - Join a health system known for innovation, research, education, and world‑class patient care.
• Academic Medical Center Experience - Work alongside nationally recognized experts while contributing to the education and development of future healthcare professionals.

Schedule & Coverage

• Four 10‑hour shifts per week (4 x 10 schedule).
• Weekend on‑call coverage approximately once per month.
• Flex day off during the following week after weekend coverage.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Completes full diagnostic hearing assessments using the appropriate testing method and equipment for the patient type, diagnosis, and reason for referral.
• Formulates and/or implements a treatment plan to address deficits and patient/family areas of concern.
• Completes documentation in a timely manner.
• Provides education/consultation to patient, family, health care team and community.
• Enhances and impacts our knowledge of the nature of communicative and related disorders.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

• Audiology Patient Evaluation (Intermediate): Obtains pertinent information to appropriately assess the patient. Administers appropriate hearing assessment per the clinical protocol. Interprets the results of the assessment and their significance for the patient, family, referring physician and other members of the health care team. Demonstrates proficient in knowledge and skills development in audiometric assessment across the age range as well as at least two of the following areas: infant hearing screening and audiometric estimation, hearing aid assessment and fitting, cochlear implant assessment and fitting and balance function testing. The incumbent is considered within the Division and local professional community as a resource person in at least one area of clinical audiology.
• Audiology Treatment Implementation (Intermediate): Includes objectives based on the results of the assessment and input from the patient and family. Selects interventions which produce the desired outcomes within the time frame projected. Modifies the treatment plan if patient/family are not deriving benefit. Identifies and recommends additional/alternative services. Includes patient and family in all aspects of care. Respects roles and professional boundaries of others. Is aware of, and uses PRN, standardized outcome measures to quantify treatment efficacy.
• Audiology Patient Education (Intermediate): Communicates functional impact of assessment findings, treatment interventions, diagnosis, and disease process. Adapts communication to the level of understanding of the patient. Determines comprehension and need for repetition and/or revision of counseling methods. Promotes public awareness and prevention of communicative and related disorders through local, and regional presentations to patient groups (e.g. American Tinnitus Association, Vestibular Disorders Association etc). Generates measurable improvement in understanding and quality of life of patients and their families.
• Rehab Therapist Patient Documentation (Intermediate): Demonstrates proficiency in documentation practices. Documents in the appropriate templates and utilizes only approved abbreviations within patient documentation. Meets institutional standards for quality and timeliness of documentation. May complete accurate chart audits of co‑workers in the same classification category.

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings.

These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health's reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid‑South.

Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

Core Accountabilities

Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance.

Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment.

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