Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Description:

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.

Requirements:

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: 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 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 an associate degree in a health care-related field. OR
  3. Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying as follows:
     • 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).

  • 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.

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).

Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

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.

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.
  4. Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment.

GS-7 (Developmental Level 2):

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 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 anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology.
  2. Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a healthcare environment.
  3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing.
  4. Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting.
  5. Ability to provide eye care patient education.

GS-8 (Full Performance Level):

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 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.
  7. Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.

Preferred Experience:

• Certified Ophthalmic Assistant.
• Must have the skills and ability to perform refractions, eyeglass measurement and fitting, retinal photography, and tonometry, among other skills.
• Recognized certifications include: JCAHPO Certified

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.

Physical Requirements: The position requires regular physical exertion, including long periods of standing, frequent bending, reaching, and walking. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) must be able to perform precise eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity to operate equipment, maintain visual acuity for assessing ocular health and equipment operation, assist with patient movement which may involve lifting or turning, stand and walk for extended periods, and communicate effectively with patients and staff. Candidates must meet the physical requirements as outlined in VA Directive and Handbook 5019 to perform the essential functions safely and efficiently.