This health technician position is located at the at VA Manchester Healthcare System in Manchester, NH, in the Optometry section of Surgical Service.

Duties

The incumbent serves as liaison between the patient, eye care providers, and other health care providers. The incumbent is responsible for the efficient operation of the Optometry clinic. He/she performs specific tests and assists the optometrist in evaluating patients. This requires a good working knowledge of appropriate supplies and equipment for testing. Uses standard precautions and adheres to accepted safety standards and precautions. Several tests are performed under the supervision of an Optometrist. They include the following (but are not limited to): Ocular Screening Examinations: Preliminary history taking Visual Acuity assessment Performing automated and screening Visual Field testing Preliminary motility measurement Pupil testing Tonometry Color vision screening Stereopsis Assessment of spectacle power Auto-Refraction Auto-Keratometry Verifying accuracy of filled eyeglass prescriptions Properly fit and measure Dispensing finished eyeglasses and Adjusting Frames Ophthalmic Fundus Photography Automated perimetry Ocular Coherence Tomography Blood Pressure Measurement Pachymetry Administers eye drops per Standard Operating Procedure Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: F03021 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required NOTIFICATIONS: This position is a NAGE Bargaining Unit Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants must be fully qualified by the closing date on this announcement. 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. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in both spoken and written English. Experience: One year of experience as a health technician or assistant in the health care field demonstrating the applicant's ability to perform the work or by demonstrating a basic understanding of work in the health care field; OR Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours related to health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant or associate degree, or completion of an independent study course in an optometry related technician or assistant field; OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below: (a) Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge of optometry assistant theory and practices and general understanding of the HT/assistant duties and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health technician/assistant or HT(optometry)/assistant related courses. (b) Successful completion of a course for health care technicians or assistants, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training in a program given by the U.S. Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or the U.S. Public Health Service, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Health Technician (Optometry), GS-07 Experience. One year of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Ability to determine preliminary objective estimate and/or refinement of the optical status of the eye, not to include the patient's final subjective refraction. (b) Ability to triage and manage eyeglasses issues (e.g., measurement of vertex distance, base curve, prism correction, center thickness, slab off, Fresnel prism, decentration, etc.). (c) Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near). (d) Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures. (e) Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears. (f) Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions. Assignment. Employee at this grade level serves as a full performance level health technician (optometry). They perform duties such as measuring and recording visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing as indicated), obtaining accurate potential acuity meter, laser interferometry, contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements. They evaluate pupillary light responses and measure pupil size, determine the presence or absence of fusion and perform stereoacuity measurements. The HT perform Amsler grid testing, administer eye drops under the supervision of an eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist), perform basic tonometry (e.g., non-contact, Goldmann, Tono-Pen) and estimate the anterior chamber depth with a penlight or slit lamp biomicroscope. The HT are skilled in properly reading a basic spectacle prescription using an automated or manual lensometer, obtaining accurate auto refractometry and keratometry measurements, performing confrontation and standard automated visual field testing and administering and scoring basic color vision tests (e.g., pseudoisochromatic plates, Farnsworth D-15). The HT are also adept at measuring and recording corneal thickness by pachymetry as well as performance of advanced corneal measurements, exophthalmometry, tear testing and ocular imaging. Preferred Experience: One (1) year experience in the field of optometry or ophthalmology working as a technician or equivalent is preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005-142, Part II, Appendix G68 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: The incumbent requires adequate manual dexterity and fine motor coordination to utilize some of the instrumentation. In addition, the incumbent may be required to transfer patients from a wheelchair to the examination chairs or seating in the testing areas. This position requires regular walking, sitting, standing and occasionally handling supply boxes of varying weights. It is not a sedentary position.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Manchester VA Medical Center 718 Smyth Road Manchester, NH 03104 US
• Name: Robert Spinney
• Phone: 7748264814
• Email: [email protected]