The Veterans Affairs Pacific Island Health Care System (VAPIHCS) is a Level 3 facility and ranks among a complex system in the VA serving the VA Sierra Pacific Network (VISN 21). The VAPIHCS offers a full range of comprehensive health care services including Dentistry, Geriatrics & Extended Care, Imaging, Medicine Services, Mental Health Services, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service, Primary Care, Radiation Oncology, Rehabilitation Services, and Specialty Services.

Duties

The VAPIHCS offers several special medical programs to include Home Health Services, Homeless Veteran Services, Pharmacy Specialized Services, Rurality, Spinal Cord Injury, Telehealth, and Women's Health Centers. The VAPIHCS operates seven community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) covering seven county areas. These outpatient clinics are in America Samoa, Guam, Hilo, Kauai, Kona, Leeward, and Maui. This position is primarily located in the Akaka VA Clinic in Kapolei, Hawaii in the Optometry Clinic, Specialty Care Service. The Specialty Care Clinics are the access point for referral specialty care at the VA PIHCS. The Specialty Care Clinics serve the eligible adult and geriatric Veteran population through a variety of specialized outpatient clinic settings, including the Cardiology, Pulmonary, Dermatology, Allergy, Endocrine and Diabetes Management, Audiology, Optometry and Low Vision, Gastroenterology and HCV, Hematology, Neurology, Nephrology, Nutrition, Interventional Pain, Podiatry, Orthopedic, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Incumbent performs a variety of ophthalmic testing duties, administrative duties, and assists in the delivery of care as a Health Technician in support of the Optometry Clinic. With some assistance and guidance on occasion, performs ophthalmic testing to include: Spectacle correction using an auto-lensometer Automated static and kinetic visual field testing Frequency Doubling (FDT) visual field testing Corneal topography Corneal pachymetry using an optical coherence tomographer Automated keratometry Automated refraction Optical Coherence Tomography - anterior and posterior segment Ophthalmic photography - external, anterior and posterior segment Patient vital signs Other testing as technology advances and/or new equipment secured by VA With some assistance and guidance on occasion, performs administrative support to include: Printing patient schedule and medication list using VistA and prepare patient folders Keeping track of patient arrivals Putting patient folder in proper exam room door as patient arrives Properly using CPRS to assist with patient inquiries and care Triaging secure messages daily Monitoring and recording temperature in Pyxis unit Monitoring and recording temperature in HLD room Cleaning patients chairs in hallway and dilation room Working collaboratively with MSAs and optical staff Other duties and responsibilities as assigned With some assistance and guidance on occasion, assists in the delivery of care to include: Maintaining a smooth flow of patients through the Optometry Clinic Greeting and triaging patients arriving at clinic Properly taping mask to patient's face Obtaining and recording patient care history including medical and ocular histories Reconciling medication list Screening for and verifying allergies Assisting Optometrists in the examination room Maintaining appropriate inventory and maintenance of supplies, medications, and equipment Restocking non-medication supplies in exam room (e.g., tissues, alcohol swabs, cotton swabs, mydriatic filters) Pulling in-office diagnostic medications from Pyxis unit and restock in exam rooms Cleaning designated items in exam room Other duties and responsibilities as assigned VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm; with possible Saturday rotation Telework: Not eligible for Telework Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized??????? Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Experience and Education. 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 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 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. Licensure/Certification/Registration. None. 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 (journey) 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 Technicians (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. 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. Physical Requirements. Work requires some direct assistance to patients. Incumbent must be mobile to assist patients in wheelchairs and to respond to requests from the optometrists. 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). Preferred Experience: Performing ophthalmic screenings and testing. Assisting staff with examination and treatment of patients. Minor repairs, evaluating, adjusting and repairing spectacles. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Health Technician (Optometry), GS-04 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Health Technician (Optometry), GS-05 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: (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 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (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 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. 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/142 Part II Appendix G68, April 9, 2021 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.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Spark M Matsunaga Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 459 Patterson Road Honolulu, HI 96819 US
• Name: Lizbeth Torres
• Phone: (415) 221-4810 X24760
• Email: [email protected]