Health Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration support Ophthalmologists and Optometrists in the eye clinic as part of the Surgical Service, providing a wide variety of detailed clinical and technical work.

Duties

The GS-5 Entry Level Technician will respond to the needs of the staff ophthalmologists, the supervisory technician or other designated administrative supervisor who will maintain daily supervision and guidance. Limited routine assignments under daily direct supervision are an integral part of the position. Deviations from unanticipated problems and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or help. Clinical Responsibilities: Obtain basic ophthalmic and medical history following a template. Assist patient to examination room. 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. The GS-6 Health Technician operates commonly used equipment performing basic test and procedures. Deviations from regular procedures, unanticipated problems, complex patients and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or assistance. Some assignments at this level include developmental duties involving more complex procedures performed under supervision. The Health Technician will use a multidisciplinary approach to patient care working with Ophthalmologist, Optometrist, residents, students, other technicians, nurses, MSAs, other staff within the hospital setting to provide coordinated, patient centric, quality care. Clinical Responsibilities: Obtains basic medical and ophthalmic history, Measures and records visual acuity, Administers anesthetic eye drops, Performing basic tonometry (NCT and tonopen), Estimates the anterior chamber depth Records a simple spectacle reading through automated and manual lensometry. The Health Technician, GS-7 performs a range of diagnostic and therapeutic tasks utilizing various ophthalmic equipment and instruments. The Health Technician will use a multidisciplinary approach to patient care working with Ophthalmologist, Optometrist, residents, students, other technicians, nurses, MSAs, other staff within the hospital setting to provide coordinated, patient centric, quality care. Clinical Responsibilities: Triages patient phone calls or urgent walk ins in conjunction with a provider; Ensures exam rooms are stocked with adequate supplies; Educates and instructs patients on administration of eye drops and post-operative instructions; Accurately measures, compares, and evaluates pupillary responses; Administers eye drops including drops to dilate the pupils; Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, and axis; The Full Performance Technician, GS-8 performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic and therapeutic tasks. The health technician assures efficient processes are in place for patient flow, clinical efficiencies, and patient satisfaction as developed by the Ophthalmology and Optometry Program Directors. The Health Technician will use a multidisciplinary approach to patient care working with Ophthalmologist, Optometrist, residents, students, other technicians, nurses, MSAs, other staff within the hospital setting to provide coordinated, patient centric, quality care. Clinical Responsibilities: Performs equipment inventory to maintain proper stock of exam room and clinic supplies. Obtains patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs and symptoms; current medication allergies; past ocular and general medical history; family history both ocular and general; social history; and review of medications and allergies, including current ocular prescription and non-prescription medications. Accurately measures visual acuity at distance and near with and without a pinhole. Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder. Performs pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation. Instills eye medications (drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilating drops, cycloplegic drops, or antibiotics). Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry. Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or corneal topography to determine corneal curvature. Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using an IOL Master. Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines. Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. Performs patient screening and triage of potentially urgent ocular conditions. Assists during clinic-based ophthalmic surgery, including but not limited to intra-vitreous injections and laser surgical procedures. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000

Requirements

Qualifications

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 (1) Experience. Six months of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR (2) Education. One year above high school. OR (3) 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). Grade Determinations: 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. 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-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-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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Tucson VA Medical Center 3601 South Sixth Avenue Tucson, AZ 85723 US
• Name: Bryce Thayer
• Phone: 8609643506
• Email: [email protected]