This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

Assists in taking patient history for review by doctor to include chief complaint, history of present condition, pertinent medical, ocular, and family history and other information as determined to be important. Verifies spectacle prescription data including sphere, cylinder, prism, interpupillary Distance, using a lensmeter. Measures visual acuity, distance and near, corrected, and uncorrected. Measures corneal curvature using a keratometer. Assesses color vision using psuedoisochromatic plates if directed. Uses auto-retractor to determine patient's spectacle prescription. Instills drops as directed. Performs intra-ocular pressure screenings. Performs visual field evaluations using automated & manual visual field analyzers independently. Assists in selecting and fitting of eyeglass frames and lenses to include appropriate measurements required to order. Orders spectacles as directed. Adjusts spectacles for proper fit. Minors repair of spectacles and determining when spectacles are not repairable. Performs fundus photography on patients as directed; perform ophthalmology MIC imaging procedures on patients as directed (by OD or OMD) to include film photography, digital photography, ocular coherence tomography, imaging modalities, and pachyometry. Assists in monitoring patient flow to ensure that patients are not kept waiting unreasonable times or are advised of delay. Assists in screening phone calls, walk-in patients, and patient inquiries. Assists in vision clinic co-ordination and scheduling. Assists in co-ordination of spectacle and supply orders. Delivers patient education as directed by provider. Provides support to other areas in the clinic and staff when directed by Optometrist. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8AM to 4:30PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 58392A, 58393A, 58394A, 58395A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Michael Campbell ([email protected]) Darlene Estell [email protected] or Joshua Titensor ([email protected]), the EDRP Coordinators for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. English Language Proficiency: Health Technician - Optometry candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Experience and Education: 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 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: 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. 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. 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. 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 individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions Employees who are 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 Health Techs (Optometry) 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 re-entry to the occupation Grade Determinations: Health Technician - Optometry, GS-4: Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Health Technician - Optometry, GS-5: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function Ability to obtain, document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs, such as replacing nose pads and screws Health Technician - Optometry, GS-6: Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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 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 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 Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms Health Technician - Optometry, GS-7: 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 (KSA): In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: 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 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.) Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near) Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions Preferred Experience: One year optometry tech/health tech experience 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 in the range of GS 4 to GS 7. Physical Requirements: The position involves considerable standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and turning. It requires restraining confused patients, repositioning patients, assisting with transferring patients to Wheelchairs/stretchers/cars, and transporting them to other departments or facilities. Mechanical devices available and are required to be used for heavy or difficult to lift patients. The work may involve pushing or lifting weight in excess of 50 pounds and going up and down flights of stairs. May be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/ invasive procedures. This position requires visual acuity, good hearing, distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. The position may require the Health Technician to work for periods of time with arms above shoulder level with neck in a fully flexed or extended position and the ability to physically control or protect his/herself from physically abusive patients.

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 SALT LAKE CITY HCS 500 Foothill Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84148 US
• Name: MISTY CHESLEY
• Phone: 8015821565 X3747
• Email: [email protected]