This position is located at VA Medical Center, Boise, ID, as an ophthalmic technician assigned to the Ophthalmology section of the Surgery Service, at the Boise VA Medical Center.

Duties

Duties: Provide direct patient care service related to patient education, selection, ordering, verification, troubleshooting, adjustment and repair of ophthalmic lenses and eyewear. 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. vii. Instills eye medications ( drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilating drops, cycloplegic drops, or antibiotics). viii. Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry. ix. Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature. x. Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using an IOL Master or equivalent device. xi. Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines. xii. Performs external photographs and fundus photography. xiii. Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. XIV. Performs patient screening and triage of potentially urgent ocular conditions. xv. Assists during clinic-based ophthalmic surgery, including revision of wounds, biopsies of the eyelid lesions, cultures of conjunctiva, or cornea; reformation of anterior chamber, evacuation of hyphema, repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts, intra-vitreous injections, and laser surgical procedures. xvi. Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions. xvii. Assists in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations. xviii. 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: Monday to Friday, 0730 to 1600 Compressed/Flexible:Not available Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

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:Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) b. Experience and Education i. Experience. One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR ii. Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate degree in a health care related degree. OR iii. Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in section A, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-5 (Entry Level) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirement Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-6 (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. (b) Assignment. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at this level operates and monitors commonly used equipment performing basic screening procedures. (c) 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-7 (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level. (b) Assignment. At this level, the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs 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). Performs basic imaging testing such as corneal topography; external photography; 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. (c) 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-8 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level. (b) Assignment. This is considered to be the full performance level for this assignment. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at this level performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures with responsibility for checking calibration of instruments prior to the procedure. Responsible for obtaining patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs/symptoms; past 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. (c) 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/98 PART II APPENDIX G52

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 Boise VA Medical Center 500 West Fort Street Boise, ID 83702 US
• Name: Yolanda Gallegos
• Phone: (208) 422-1000 X7394
• Email: [email protected]