HEALTH TECHNICIAN (OPHTHALMOLO

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Durham VAMC in North Carolina is seeking an Ophthalmology Technician to assist Ophthalmologists in a busy clinical setting. The role involves performing diagnostic procedures, assisting in surgeries, and educating patients and learners under supervision.

Applicants must have COA certification, a health-care-related education or experience, and meet English-language requirements. This is a full-time position located at the Durham VA Medical Center.

Qualifications

• One year of experience in a health care field or two years above high school with health care coursework.
• COA certification from JCAHPO is required.
• US citizenship and English language proficiency required.

Responsibilities

• Support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care, and patient counseling.
• Perform standard yet complex diagnostic procedures and assist during clinic-based surgical procedures.
• Educate patients and legal representatives; assist in educating medical students and residents.

Skills

Tonometry

Pupil evaluation

IOL calculations

Surgical assisting

Eye anatomy

Medication effects

Optics

Equipment cleaning

Education

Associate's degree in health care

Two years above high school with health care coursework

Job description

This position is located at the Durham VAMC, NC. Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. The Full Performance Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures, assists during clinic-based surgical procedures, educates patients and legal representatives, assists with the education of medical students and residents.

Basic Requirements

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.

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).

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:
  • (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.

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).

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.

Grade Determinations:

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

Experience: Must have 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.

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 GS-08.

Physical Requirements:

This position requires visual acuity, adequate auditory perception, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially extended periods of computer use, virtual care equipment use, sitting and/or standing. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are verbally combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must meet Employee Health mandates as a condition of employment.