The incumbent serves as an Ophthalmic Health Technician and will work within the Eye Clinic Outpatient Surgical Service. This position has broad clinical and administrative responsibilities which will require frequent and ongoing communication with peers, providers, clinic support staff, patients, family members and others significant to the veterans being served. The incumbent plays a role in the success of the eye clinics giving support to 12 eye providers.
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. Experience and Education Experience. One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate's degree in a healthcare in a health care related degree, OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below: Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or ophthalmology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces; or Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting. Certification. All applicants must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel Ophthalmology (JCAHPO). The COA certification is JCAHPO's entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology). Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements may be appointed as a graduate Health Technician (Ophthalmology) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) that provides care under the supervision of an Ophthalmologist. The exception only applies below the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level the candidate must be certified. Failure to obtain COA certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment and may result in termination of employment. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. English Language Proficiency. Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 38 U.S.C. 7407(d). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification requirements. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply. Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) who were appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of the qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-5 (Entry Level) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-6 (Developmental Level 1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. GS-5 experience includes: Obtains/records vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, and glucose levels. Participates in performance of quality assurance activities: staff meetings, mandatory educational in-services, quality control reports, systems redesign, and team and morale improvement. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment. Ability to obtain, document and record demographic and medical information form patients in order to develop an accurate medical record. Ability to use basic ophthalmic equipment. Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment. Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-7 (Developmental Level 2) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. GS-6 experience includes: Operates and monitors commonly used equipment performing basic screening procedures. Assists ophthalmology staff by obtaining an accurate medical ophthalmic history, measuring and recording visual acuity, administering anesthetic eye drops, performing basic tonometry, etc. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAS: Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology. Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment. Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing. Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting. Ability to provide eye care patient education. Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-8 (Full Performance Level) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level. GS-7 experience includes: Performs the following: triages patient phone calls or requests; ensures exam rooms are stocked with adequate supplies; instructs patients on administration of eye drops and post-operative instructions; accurately measures, compares, and evaluates pupillary responses, etc. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation. Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens. Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting. Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology. Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye. Knowledge of optics. Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment. 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-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-8. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Major Duties: Responsibility for day-to-day activity of the eye care clinic. Assistance and guidance in planning and carrying out the functions of the clinics and ensuring that the goals of the patients vision/eye care are accomplished. The incumbent will independently perform diagnostic tests as a clinical service to physicians and provide them with technical information that will be used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in patients. Provide patient education, and act as a liaison and information source for nursing staff, clerical staff, and medical staff. Present illness; Past ocular history including prior surgeries, laser trauma; Family history (glaucoma, macular degeneration and other retina diseases), Systemic history (diabetes, autoimmune disease that affects the vision/eye). Allergies, Ocular medications. Possess skill/knowledge needed for conducting following exams: distance and near visual acuity, refraction, manual and automatic lensometer, schemer test, pupil evaluation, anterior chamber depth, tonometry, ocular motility, muscle balance, cover uncover test, position of gaze, stereopsis, near point convergence and accommodation, fusion, confrontational visual field, tangent screen, exophthalmometry measurement, color testing, acuity testing by potential acuity meter, amsler grid testing, somnoplasty, laryngoscopy, cautery, esophageal bougies, and irrigation trays. Coordinate appointments and monitors for completion/reporting of outpatient testing associated with Pre-Surgical evaluation, Vascular lab, Diabetic Eye Screening, and Visual Field studies. May be called upon to work in other areas of Surgery Service (i.e. Podiatry, Urology, General Surgery, Vascular, and Operating Room) as a floater in cases where there is a shortage of personnel due to scheduled leave or unscheduled leave. Performs highly skilled exams utilizing several ophthalmic/optometric instruments. Must possess experience and thorough knowledge in utilization of instruments. Responsible for maintenance and calibration or all equipment; responsible for orderliness and maintenance of supplies in each examination room. Will help in finding base line data in clinical settings by taking pictures and doing visual fields including glaucoma, retina and surgical pre-op studies, and will support administrative staff in the collection of data for Performance Measures and other studies. Assist physicians in the performance of office procedures and minor surgeries. This would include such procedures as excision of lid lesions, excision of inclusion cysts, excision of skin lesions, etc. Administer eye drops, ointments and other medications as needed for preparation of patients for examination and/or testing. The incumbent needs skills to assist in patient care of changing dressings. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: GS-0640 Health Technician (Ophthalmology) GS-5 - GS-8; 613-25135-F; 613-25136-F; 613-25137-F; 613-25138-F