Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

This Health Technician (Ophthalmology) position is in the Ophthalmology Section, Surgical services at the White River Junction Healthcare Systems, located at the White River Junction, VT location.

Qualifications:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.
Experience and Education
(1) Experience. One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician.
OR
(2) Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate's degree in a health care related degree.
OR
(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below:

• Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or
• 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
• Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting.

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). Failure to obtain certification and loss of credentials

Exception. Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements may be appointed as a graduate Health Technician (Ophthalmology) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) that provides care under the supervision of an Ophthalmologist. The exception only applies below the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level the candidate must be certified. Failure to obtain COA certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment and may result in termination of employment.

Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases, the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) must actively pursue meeting certification requirements starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the uncertified Health Technician (Ophthalmology) with the written requirement to obtain certification, the date by which the certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within two years from date of appointment will result in removal from the Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-0640 series and may result in termination of employment.

Loss of Credentials. A Health Technician (Ophthalmology) who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

Grandfathering Provision:
All persons employed in VHA as a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certification requirements. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

1. Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) who were 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.
3. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of the qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
4. Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) 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 reentry 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. The Health Technician-Ophthalmology should be able to lift and/or carry up to 45 lbs. (intermittently). She/He will also straight pull/push up to 45 lbs. (intermittently). He/she will also stoop, squat and kneel (occasionally). The incumbent will have overhead work intermittently. Position requires prolonged walking and standing (up to 4 hrs. per day) and sitting (up to 2 hrs. per day). See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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)

Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
(1) Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-5 (Entry Level)

• Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

(2) Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-6 (Developmental Level 1)

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
• 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.

(3) Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-7 (Developmental Level 2)

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level.
• 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.

(4) Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-8 (Full Performance Level)

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level.
• 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.

Responsibilities:

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Performs optical coherence tomography of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve.
• 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, and any abnormalities, including relative afferent pupillary defect.
• Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter.
• Instills eye medications (i.e., drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilation, cycloplegic, or antibiotics), demonstrating proper technique and documenting the technician workup in the medical record.
• Measures intraocular pressure of the eye utilizing techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry.
• Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature.
• Performs intra-ocular lens (IOL) calculations using the IOL Master.
• Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines.
• Performs external photographs and fundus photography.
• Performs advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation.
• Performs calculations for selection of intraocular lens.
• Assists in clinic based ophthalmic surgery.
• 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.
• Wipes down public areas in the eye clinic during the day.
• Performs records management on a consistent basis, writing patient notes in a timely manner and in the proper format according to agency policy.
• Enters consults in a timely manner in accordance with accepted practices of the medical center.
• Maintains proper hygiene and infection controls at all times.
• Follows universal precautions for employee protection during the performance of the heath technician's duties in relation to the cleaning and processing of reusable medical equipment and the performance of assisting with eye injections and oculoplastic procedures.
• Reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering.
• Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions.
• Performs patient screening and triage emergencies identifying ocular emergencies.
• Performs patient screening and telephone triage for immediate care.
• Obtains 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 nonprescription medications.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am to 4:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Functional Statement #: PDF03392, PDF03391, PDF01627, and PDF1628
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Salary : $417