Health Technician - Spokane

Summary · The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) position is located in the Surgical Care at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane - WA. · Qualifications · Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tenta ...

Job description

Summary

The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) position is located in the Surgical Care at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane - WA.

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
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)
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
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)
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 listed above - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
Health Technician (Ophthalmology) - GS-5 (Entry Level) Experience or Education
None beyond the basic requirements
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:
Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment
Ability to obtain - document and record demographic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate medical record
Ability to use basic ophthalmic equipment
and Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment
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:
Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology
Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment
Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing
Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting
and Ability to provide eye care patient education
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:
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
Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment

References:
For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
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:
Moderate lifting 15-44 pounds
Light carrying under 15 pounds
Straight pulling 0.5 hours
Reaching above shoulder
Use of fingers
Both hands required
Walking 4 hours
Standing 5 hours
Repeated bending 1 hour
Both legs required
Near vision correctable at 13"" to 16"" to Jaeger 1 to 4
Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other
Both eyes required
Depth perception
Ability to distinguish basic colors
Ability to distinguish shades of colors
Hearing (aid may be permitted)
Emotional and mental stability under stress
Typing - computer work 6+ hours
Basic life support skills (chest compression).

Duties

The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: 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 and/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 manual refractometry and retinoscopy in plus and minus cylinder
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 and/or A-scan ultrasonography 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 students - residents and fellows in those facilities with school affiliations
Basic slit lamp biomicroscopy evaluation to check for abnormalities prior to dilation (i


e:
anterior chamber depth/iris anomalies)
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
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedul

e:
Monday to Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leav

e:
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 $ 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 Insuranc

e:
Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework:
Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position

Functional Statement #:
PD000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized