Health Technician (Optometry)

Summary This position is located within VA Altoona in Surgical Service Line. The Health Technician (Optometry) performs work independently and with minimal supervision mainly at the Du Bois Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) and travels to Indiana CBOC on Fridays. Qualifications 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 as a health technician or assistant in the health care field demonstrating the applicant's ability to perform the work or by demonstrating a basic understanding of work in the health care field OR Education: Successful completion of two academic years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours related to health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant or associate degree - or completion of an independent study course in an optometry related technician or assistant field OR Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.Examples are: (a) Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge of optometry assistant theory and practices and general understanding of the health technician/assistant duties and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant related courses.(b) Successful completion of a course for health care technicians or assistants - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists - or hospital training in a program given by the U.S. Armed Forces - the U.S. Maritime Service - or the U.S. Public Health Service - may be substituted on a month-for-month basis 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 Licensure/Certification/Registration: None English Language Proficiency: Health Technician (Optometry) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Optometry) GS-04 None beyond Basic Requirements Health Technician (Optometry) GS-05 Experience- One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-04) In addition to experience - the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSA): Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function Ability to obtain - document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs - such as replacing nose pads and screws Health Technician (Optometry) GS-06 Experience- One year experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-05) In addition to experience - the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSA): Ability to provide patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions - to include assisting with patient contact lens insertion - removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection) care Ability to accurately enter into a phoropter the autorefractometry or habitual refractive prescription (i.e. - eyeglasses prescription) or lensometer findings - including sphere - cylinder and axis Ability to perform patient spectacle fitting and dispensing - including selection of appropriate frame - ophthalmic lenses - interpupillary measurements (distance and near) and proper segment height determination - as well as the ability to transpose sphere - cylinder and axis Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-07 Experience- One year of experience comparable to the next lower level (GS-06) which demonstrates the knowledge - skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled In addition to experience - the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSA): Ability to determine preliminary objective estimate and/or refinement of the optical status of the eye - not to include the patient's final subjective refraction Ability to triage and manage eyeglasses issues (e.g. - measurement of vertex distance - base curve - prism correction - center thickness - slab off - Fresnel prism - decentration - etc.) Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation - near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near) Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-4 to GS-7. Physical Requirements: See VA HANDBOOK 5019 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit Duties Major duties include - but may not be limited to: Traveling to Indiana CBOC on Fridays Responsible for obtaining a patient's physical history to include chief complaint - pertinent signs/symptoms - past history (both ocular and general) - family history (both ocular and general) - social history and review of medications and allergies to include current eye medications Performs spectacle data collection using a manual lensometer Including measurement of sphere - cylinder and axis by lensometry - whether single vision - progressive add - bifocal or trifocal Whether glass or plastic lenses Amount and base direction of prism power Will troubleshoot spectacle complaints for optometrist(s) to further assist the patient Prepares glasses prescription for practitioners to evaluate and sign Performs stereopsis testing using Randot or another appropriate test Performs color vision measurement using pseudoisochromatic plates or another appropriate test Measures and records intraocular pressure by non-contact tonometry Assists the Optometrist(s) in other non-specified technical areas within the clinic Performs corneal keratometry - and automated refraction as indicated and accurately record in electronic health record (CPRS) Performs visual fields with any technologically current perimetry equipment - e.g. Humphrey or Goldmann perimeter Obtains corrected and uncorrected Snellen visual acuity or acuity with low vision specialized charts before they are seen by the Optometrist(s) and accurately record results in the electronic health record (CPRS) Operates all diagnostic equipment within the clinic - including but not limited to - optical coherence tomographer (OCT) - pachymeter - visual field (VF) analyzer - "A" scan IOL (intraocular Lens) Master - lensometer - B-scan ultrasound - anterior segment camera - and digital fundus camera Performs simple repairs on spectacles to include but not limited to tightening screws - replacing lenses that have fallen out - and replacing nose pads Will perform adjustments on spectacles for patient comfort including temple - nose pad - and pantoscopic tilt adjustments Performs other duties as directed Work Schedule: 7:30am to 4pm - Monday - Friday 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 (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior work experience or military service experience Parental Leave: 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 $144,000 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 Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Functional Statement #: 503-04192-F - 503-05368-F - 503-05369-F - 503-05370-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs