The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) is in the Surgery Service. This position, is located at the Honor Annex, Kansas City, MO and provides Technology-based Eye Care Services (TECS) to underserved medical communities, such as rural, homeless, indigent populations. Health technicians support the Ophthalmologists and Optometrists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling.

Duties

The Technology-based Eye Care Services (TECS) Ophthalmology technician works up the patient by checking their history, vision, glasses, eye pressure, and takes photos and/or digital scans of the back of the patients' eyes. The photography is the same as the VA diabetic teleretinal photography. Photos and clinical information is transferred to a remote reading physician who generates a report and result letter for the patient. Those requiring additional tests are referred in for a face-to-face exam. The reader authorizes an eyeglass prescription for those patients who need it and the technician can measure and order the eyeglasses for the patient at the VA Clinics.

Requirements

Qualifications

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: (1) Experience. One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR, (2) 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 health care related degree. OR, (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below: (a) Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or (b) 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 (c) 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 in 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 (GS-8) 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 Physical Requirements. If selected, must undergo and pass a pre-employment physical exam. 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). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. 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 AND In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment. Ability to obtain, document and record demographic and medical information from 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 AND 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 AND 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/98 PART II APPENDIX G52, February 7, 2018The 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 a GS-5 to GS-8. Physical Requirements: The position requires the operation of multiple devices for the examination of patients. Dexterity of hand-eye and hand-eye-foot coordination is essential and testing may involve standing for extended periods of time with arms at shoulder height. Frequent stooping, bending, or kneeling is required. You must have excellent corrected binocular vision to perform the complex duties required. Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds.

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 Kansas City VA Medical Center 4801 Linwood Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64128 US
• Name: Bruce Brech
• Phone: 816814700
• Email: [email protected]