Health Tech(Ophthalmolgy)
Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration
Location: West Palm Beach
Posted on: May 8, 2024
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Job Description:
Summary Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health
Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis,
treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. The
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.
Responsibilities This position is at the West Palm Beach VAMC. The
technician will work independently seeing patients and performing a
history, lensometry, refraction, tonometry, and non mydriatic
photos. This data will then be uploaded and then reviewed and
finalized by a provider (MD or OD) asynchronously along with
glasses prescription disposition. Duties and responsibilities
include, but not limited to: Checks and performs calibration of
technical ophthalmology screening instruments. 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. Accurately tests visual acuity at
distance and near, with and without correction or 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.
Performs swinging flashlight test to detect a relative afferent
pupillary defect. Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto
refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter. Must be
competent at distance and near refractions and complex refractions.
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 automated topography to
determine corneal curvature. Performs intra-ocular lens
calculations using an IOL Master or equivalent device. Performs
automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines.
Performs external photographs and fundus photography. 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 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. Educates patients and legal authorized representatives
in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions.
Assists in the education and training of medical students,
residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school
affiliations. 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. Able to work
independently to do basic exam- including refraction, tonometry and
non mydriatic photos. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from
8:30 am to 5:00 pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a
virtual position. Functional Statement #: 40517F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change
of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not
required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S.
Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected
for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to
urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with
VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after
12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You
may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to
background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be
required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass
pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal
influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department
of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in
the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a
requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care
Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
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: United States Citizenship:
Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to
recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English
Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in written and spoken
English. Experience and Education Experience. One year of
experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to
nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR 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 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). 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 next lower grade level
of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full
performance level, the higher level duties must consist of
significant scope, administrative independence, complexity
(difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at
the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at
least 25% of the time. 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 -
time basis, would receive one full-time work week credit for each
two weeks of service. May qualify based on being covered by the
Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification
Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA
employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).
Details on the Grandfathering Provision are in the Assessment
Questionnaire section of this announcement. Grade Determinations:
In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following
criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
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 (on resume...NO assumptions will be
made): Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation;
Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens;
Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting; Knowledge
of eye anatomy and physiology; Knowledge of medication effects and
proper instillation in the eye; Knowledge of optics; and Knowledge
of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment. References:
???????VA Handbook 5005/98 February 7, 2018 Part II, Appendix G52,
Health Technician (Ophthalmology) Qualification Standard, GS-0640
The full performance level of this vacancy is G-8. The actual grade
at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08.
Physical Requirements: The work requires some physical exertion
such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching,
crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items
such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients. The
work requires above average agility and dexterity. 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/.
Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual
(Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4,
6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years
they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may
qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work
experience or military service experience. This credited service
can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual
leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the
appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity
announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This
position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive
status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The
health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not
covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant
to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are
required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such
accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or
pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only
infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required
to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of
proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will
provide additional information regarding what information or
documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally
required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable
accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an
alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the
Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Keywords: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Hialeah , Health Tech(Ophthalmolgy), Healthcare , West Palm Beach, Florida
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