What are the responsibilities and job description for the Psychometrician position at Duke Health?
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About Duke University Hospital
Pursue your passion for caring with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which is consistently ranked among the best in the United States. The largest of the four Duke Healthhospitals with 1062 patient beds, it features comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center, an endo-surgery center, and more.
Location: Duke Neurology,932 Morrene Rd., Durham, NC
Work Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (40 hours/week)
Occupational Summary
Perform routine and complex procedures to obtain clinical neurobehavioral data for use in diagnoses of neurological disorders. Data is collected utilizing standardized, objective test measures of cognition, and mood/personality when needed. This role requires extensive hours of direct patient contact, calling for a professional, enthusiastic, and service-oriented clinical data technician.
Key Responsibilities: Level I (Core Duties)
Test Administration & Patient Care
Preparation: Verify the test menu order, prepare protocols, and transition the patient into testing after their interview with the neuropsychologist.
Standardized Testing: Independently administer and score neuropsychological tests for neurological, psychiatric, or medical patients in accordance with lab policy (adhering to objective start, stop/discontinue, scoring, and conversion rules).
Patient Experience: Ensure patient comfort throughout the lengthy testing process (typically 3-5 hours) and actively maximize patient test engagement and data validity.
Clinical Observation & Communication
Behavioral Tracking: Complete a behavioral observations sheet on each patient, rating the integrity of vision, test engagement, motor functioning, etc.
Clinical Escalation: Alert the supervising neuropsychologist to any challenges regarding test score validity (e.g., effort/test engagement, sensory/motor abnormalities, patient discomfort, or agitation).
Routine Updates: Communicate regularly with the neuropsychologist about the patient's progress, time left, completion status, or any challenges.
Data Management
Scoring & Entry: Convert all raw data to standardized, normed scores per protocol, summarize them in a data sheet, and perform accurate data entry into the clinical database.
Key Responsibilities: Level II (Advanced Duties)
Performs all duties of a Level 1 Psychometrician, plus the following advanced responsibilities:
Mentorship & Leadership
Preceptor: Serve as a preceptor for employees moving into the Psychometrician role.
Team Development: Assist in guiding the professional growth of others through modeling, coaching, and mentoring.
Specialized Clinical Testing
Train and maintain competency to perform Pediatric/Adolescent studies.
Train and maintain competency to perform studies for patients admitted to the hospital (inpatient).
Train and maintain competency to perform testing for specialized populations (e.g., Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), epilepsy, and special testing needs).
Department Operations & Projects Responsible for the completion of at least 3 departmental operational tasks, which may include:
Patient scheduling, appointment reminders, charge capture, and reconciliation.
Maintaining protocol inventory.
Active participation in research projects (must demonstrate involvement each quarter, e.g., ACT/NFL).
Participation in the development and oversight of Performance Improvement (PI) projects or Quality Assurance (QA) processes under the direct supervision of the department manager.
Leading daily team huddles or chairing an internal departmental committee.
Submitting an article/poster for publication or leading at least one Clinical Neuropsychology (CNS) in-service.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Strong interviewing and interpersonal skills
Data analysis, statistical analysis, and statistical reporting
Knowledge of lab procedures and evoked potential
Proficiency in PC word processing and clinical database software
Minimum Qualifications
Education (Levels I & II)
Required: Bachelor's Degree (B.S. or B.A.).
Preferred: Degree in psychology, biology, or a related field.
Experience
Level I: Minimum of 6 months of experience in a healthcare setting. (Note: A Master's degree in biology, psychology, or a related field may be substituted for up to 2 years of experience).
Level II: Minimum of 2 years working specifically as a Psychometrician.
Degrees, Licensures, Certifications
No formal certification is required. All work is conducted under the direct supervision of licensed Ph.D.-level neuropsychologists.
Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.
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Benefits:
Health Insurance, Vacation & Paid Time Off, Retirement Plan