Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Garner (NC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs Ophthalmology Clinic in Garner, NC seeks an Ophthalmology Technician to assist ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, and education. The role includes performing diagnostic procedures, assisting in surgeries, and guiding patients and their families.

The ideal candidate has COA certification, health care experience, and knowledge of optics and eye anatomy, with strong adherence to clinical standards and patient safety.

Qualifications

• Citizen of the United States (non-citizens may be appointed when recruitment is difficult).
• English language proficiency required (spoken and written).
• One year of health care field experience OR two years above high school with health care related courses OR combined education/experience.
• Certification as a COA by JCAHPO required.

Responsibilities

• Support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling.
• Perform diagnostic procedures and assist during clinic-based surgical procedures.
• Educate patients and guardians or legal representatives.

Skills

Citizenship

English proficiency

Health care experience

Education requirements

COA certification knowledge

Ophthalmic knowledge

Tonometry

Eye anatomy

Ophthalmic surgical assisting

Medication instillation in eye

Eye optics

Equipment cleaning & maintenance

Education

Associate's degree in a health care related degree

Two years above high school with health care related courses

Health care technician training or related course

Job description

This position is located at the VA Clinic in Garner, 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.

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).

Creditable Experience

• Knowledge of Current Health Technician (Ophthalmology) Practice. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with a health care field or knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the current occupation. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non-paid employment in the health care field.
• Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to Health Technician (Ophthalmology) experience at the GS-7 level.
• Part-time Experience. Part time experience as a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) employed 20 hours per week, or on a ½ time basis,
  would receive one full-time work week credit for each two weeks of service.

Grandfathering Provision

• (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.