The primary purpose of the Ophthalmology Technician is to serve in the Eye Care Section of Surgery service line and assure efficient systems are in place for patient flow, clinical effectiveness and patient satisfaction. The position is located at the Puget Sound VA Medical Center, American Lake campuses with occasional travel to Seattle and at associated CBOCs..

Duties

The incumbent provides patient care within the ophthalmology and optometry clinics. In general, the incumbent conducts specific observations and examination procedures, and performs diagnostic and therapeutic tasks according to the criteria established by the Chief of the Eye Care Program. The incumbent uses a multi-disciplinary approach to care working with Ophthalmologists, Optometrists, other technicians, LPNs, RNs, and other staff within the hospital to provide coordinated, patient-centric care. The incumbent participates in ongoing clinical education and training as directed by the Eye Care management team. The technician possibly provides day-to-day direction of volunteers and/or optometry trainees to ensure that program goals are met, that clinical care flows smoothly, and assigned tasks are completed in a timely manner. Maintains effective control of the optometry work area by assisting to coordinate and organize the workflow to expedite care delivery. Keeps current in new techniques and technological advances as employed by the eye clinic. Consults with bio-med and maintenance personnel within the VA to report daily equipment problems, notifies supervisor of issues. Anticipates needs for supplies and equipment and notifies supervisor. Assists in training and in-service programs to aid in the instruction of nurses and physicians on procedures, operation and/or maintenance of new and existing medical equipment. Provides reports of accomplishments, proposals for improved effectiveness and pays attention to the state of equipment/reports problems. Maximizes efficiency in the number of images performed without compromising quality standards. Maintains adequate supplies and pharmaceuticals used in the department. Responsible to report equipment malfunctions for repair to biomed and/or to their immediate supervisor. Assists scheduler in scheduling patients for exams at the VAMC to provide prompt medical care. Documents the patient's testing results and data into the electronic medical record system for co-signature by a staff optometrist or ophthalmologist. Assists the program support clerk and/or medical support assistant by responding to telephone calls and visitors to the clinic, determining the purpose of the contact and taking appropriate action. This includes management of patient phone calls, secure messaging, and/or walk-in messages, questions, and concerns. The incumbent performs patient screening and advanced triage of potentially urgent ocular conditions. Assists Veterans and providers with coordination of care between Veterans Affairs and Community Care Programs. Complete related tasks not mentioned in this document as directed by the on-site supervising staff optometrist. Complies with all station, service, and clinic policies. Completes mandatory annual training requirements in a timely fashion. Answers telephone inquiries and resolves problems, some of which may involve complex optometry problems. Refers callers to appropriate professional staff members if problems cannot be resolved. Arranges for patients' x-rays and records to be made available for use prior to patient visits to the clinic. Coordinates with outlying VA and community health care facilities for the transfer of necessary records. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately. Liaison between the professional staff and scheduler/secretary, receiving all requests for work from them and funneling it to the secretary as appropriate. Responds to inquiries from physicians and other health care professionals regarding the disposition of consults. Completes the necessary laboratory slips, logs specimens sent to the laboratory and ensures proper disposition of obtained specimens. Answers telephone inquiries and resolves problems, some of which may involve complex optometry problems. Refers callers to appropriate professional staff members if problems cannot be resolved. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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: 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 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 (2) 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 (3) 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 health technician/assistant duties and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health technician/assistant or health technician (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. 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). Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Optometry), GS-04 (1) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. (2) Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in a health technician (optometry) entry level position. More experienced staff members guide and provide daily direct supervision for the health technicians (optometry). Health Technician (Optometry), GS-05 (1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA): (a) Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function. (b) Ability to obtain, document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note. (c) Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting. (d) Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures. (e) Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs, such as replacing nose pads and screws. Health Technician (Optometry), GS-06 (1) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. (2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (a) Ability to provide patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions, to include assisting with patient contact lens insertion, removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection) care. (b) Ability to accurately enter into a phoropter the autorefractometry or habitual refractive prescription (i.e., eyeglasses prescription) or lensometer findings, including sphere, cylinder and axis. (c) Ability to perform patient spectacle fitting and dispensing, including selection of appropriate frame, ophthalmic lenses, interpupillary measurements (distance and near) and proper segment height determination, as well as the ability to transpose sphere, cylinder and axis. (d) Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests. (e) Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms. Health Technician (Optometry), GS-07 (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) Assignment. Employee at this grade level serves as a full performance level health technician (optometry). The technicians 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. The technicians also evaluate pupillary light responses and measure pupil size, determine the presence or absence of fusion and perform stereoacuity measurements. The health technicians (optometry) 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 technicians are skilled in properly reading a basic spectacle prescription using an automated or manual lensometer, obtaining accurate autorefractometry and keratometry measurements, performing confrontation and standard automated visual field testing and administering and scoring basic color vision tests (e.g., pseudoischromatic plates, Farnsworth D-15). The technicians 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 (e.g., stereo fundus, basic slit lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular lens master measurements, ocular ultrasonography, posterior segment optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence and/or ocular angiography). Preferred Experience: One year of Optometry/Ophthalmic technician experience References: See 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 work requires considerable periods of standing and walking with occasional bending and sitting. Some assisting or light lifting, less than 15 pounds, is also required. The technician must also be able to work for sustained periods; requiring flexibility in the schedule with breaks taken when available. The work is performed in an eye clinic office setting. There are moderate risks that require safety precautions, such as wearing gloves and masks as needed when providing patient care. The risks may involve such things as communicable diseases, stress, or verbal abuse caused by disturbed or agitated patients or family members.

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 VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Lacey Payne
• Phone: 4042952250
• Email: [email protected]