OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Duties

VISN 12 is committed to fostering and sustaining an environment which celebrates diversity, provides equitable opportunities for employment and promotion, and supports inclusiveness in our culture. Together, we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that promote professional growth and teamwork, and are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We embrace our differences as individuals and unite as a team toward a common goal: to serve our nation's Veterans. This Health Technician (Ophthalmology) is located at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI and is part of the VA's Great Lakes Health Care System in the Veteran's Integrated Service Network (VISN 12). The purpose of this position is to perform a variety of specialized ophthalmic procedures. These include, but are not limited to, obtaining visual acuity, eyeglass prescriptions, ophthalmic history and medication use, and eye pressure. Services are provided in an outpatient clinic setting. Duties Include: -Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments. -Obtains patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs and symptoms; current medication allergies; past ocular and general medical history both ocular and general; family history both ocular and general; social history; and review of medications and allergies, including current ocular prescription and non-prescription medications. -Accurately tests visual acuity at distance and near, with and without correction or with and without a pinhole. -Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder. -Performs pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation. Performs swinging flashlight test to detect a relative afferent pupillary defect. -Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter. -Instills eye medications (drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilating drops, cycloplegic drops, or antibiotics). -Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry. -Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness or automated topography to determine corneal curvature. -Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using an IOL Master or equivalent device. -Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines. -Performs fundus photography. -Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. -Performs patient screening and triage of potentially urgent ocular conditions. -Assists during clinic-based ophthalmic surgery and laser surgical procedures. -Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care -Assists in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations. -Ensures proper cleaning and disinfection; calibration, maintenance, backup, annual inventory and ordering of instruments, supplies and equipment; obtains quotes as needed; and reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering. Work Schedule: Weekdays Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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: Citizenship: Must be a Citizen of the United States. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 38 U.S.C. 7407(d). 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 health care related degree. OR 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). In addition to the Basic Requirements, applicants must meet the following: GRADE REQUIREMENTS GS-8 Grade Requirements (Full Performance Level): Experience: Must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level. Experience includes: Performing 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; administers eye drops to dilate pupils; performs basic color vision screening; performs visual field testing (using Amsler grid or automated equipment). Performing basic imaging testing such as corneal topography; external photography; performing basic ocular testing such as pachymetry, tear production with test strips, glare testing, stereo acuity, contrast sensitivity, potential acuity meter, measuring spectacles using both automated and manual lensometry and transposing cylinders. Assisting the ophthalmologist during minor ophthalmic surgical procedures and is adept at applying sterile technique and infection control procedures. Performing autorefractor to determine spectacle prescription. In addition, candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 1. Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation; 2. Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens; 3. Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting; 4. Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology; 5. Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye; 6. Knowledge of optics; and 7. Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment. 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G52 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 William S Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital 2500 Overlook Terrace Madison, WI 53705 US
• Name: Matthew Acree
• Phone: (608)256-1901 X17488
• Email: [email protected]