Health Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in the eye clinic as part of the Surgical Care Line (SCL) providing a wide variety of detailed clinical and technical work.

Duties

*Selectee may be required to travel between Eye Clinics Locations (West LA & Sepulveda)* GS-05: i. Obtains and records vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, and glucose levels. ii. Participates in performance of quality assurance activities such as staff meetings, mandatory educational in-services, quality control reports, systems redesign, and team and morale improvement. GS-06: i. Obtains an accurate medical and ophthalmic history ii. Measures and records visual acuity iii. Administers anesthetic eye drops, iv. Performing basic tonometry v. Estimates the anterior chamber depth vi. Records a simple spectacle reading through automated lensometry. GS-07: i. Triages patient phone calls or requests; ii. Ensures exam rooms are stocked with adequate supplies; iii. Instructs patients on administration of eye drops and post-operative instructions; iv. Accurately measures, compares, and evaluates pupillary responses; v. Administers eye drops to dilate pupils; vi. Performs basic color vision screening; vii. Performs basic visual field testing (using Amsler grid or automated equipment). viii. Performs basic imaging testing such as corneal topography; external photography; ix. Performs 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. GS-08 i. Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments. ii. 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. iii. Accurately tests visual acuity at distance and near, with and without correction or with and without a pinhole. iv. Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder. v. Performs pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation. Performs swinging flashlight test to detect a relative afferent pupillary defect. vi. Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday Functional Statement #:000000 Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): 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: a. Citizenship. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. b. 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). c. Experience and Education Experience. Six months of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR Education. One year above high school. 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. d. 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). Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) must actively pursue meeting certification requirements starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the uncertified Health Technician (Ophthalmology) with the written requirement to obtain certification, the date by which the certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within two years from date of appointment will result in removal from the Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-0640 series and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Credentials. A Health Technician (Ophthalmology) who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. 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 met all qualification 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: (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) 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. (4) 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. 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. Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-8 (Full Performance Level) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following 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. Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-7 (Developmental Level 2) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology; 2. Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment; 3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing; 4. Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting; and 5. Ability to provide eye care patient education. Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-6 (Developmental Level 1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment; 2. Ability to obtain, document and record demographic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate medical record; 3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic equipment; and 4. Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment. Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-5 (Entry Level) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) entry level position and are trainee in nature. The entry level performs limited routine assignments under daily direct supervision. Deviations from unanticipated problems and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or help. Obtains and records vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, and glucose levels. Participates in performance of quality assurance activities such as staff meetings, mandatory educational in-services, quality control reports, systems redesign, and team and morale improvement. References: VA Handbook 5005 /98, Part II, Appendix G52 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-08.

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 Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System 11301 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90073 US
• Name: Samantha Moritz
• Email: [email protected]