The Northport VA Medical center is currently recruiting for one Health Technician for the Optometry department. An Optometry Technician in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Optometrists and Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. 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: 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 Licensure/Certification/Registration: None. Grandfathering Provision. All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who are 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) Health Technicians (Optometry) 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 re-entry 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. 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 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Health Technician (Optometry), GS-05 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function. (b) Ability to obtain, document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note. (c) Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting. (d) Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures. (e) Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs, such as replacing nose pads and screws. Health Technician (Optometry), GS-06 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) 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. (c) 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. (d) Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests. (e) 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 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) 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.). (c) Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near). (d) Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures. (e) Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears. (f) Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions. Preferred Experience: VA experience and/or experience as a health technician or within an eye care practice. 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-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to GS-07. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. ["Duties of the position includes but is not limited to patient screening, clinic flow oversight, record keeping and scanning, significant advanced imaging: optical coherence tomography, visual fields, corneal topography, biometric ultrasound, lensometry and lens calculation. The technician may perform duties such as measuring and recording visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing as indicted) and obtaining accurate potential acuity meter, or other specialized visual acuity measurements. The technicians may also evaluate pupillary light responses and measure pupil size. The technicians are skilled in properly reading a basic spectacle prescription using an automated or manual lensometer, obtaining accurate autorefractometry and keratometry measurements, performing confrontation and automated visual field testing, and administering and scoring basic color vision tests (e.g. pseudoisochromatic plates, Farnsworth D-15). The technicians are also skilled in measuring and recording corneal measurements, exophthalmometry, tear testing, and ocular imaging (e.g. stereo fundus, basic slit lamp biomicroscopy, ocular ultrasonography, posterior segment optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence). The Health Technician (Optometry) ensures compliance with VA policies and exceeding the expectations of patients. Daily responses using MyHealtheVet when needed. Inputting and completing eyeglasses consults daily is required. Minor adjustment and repair of eyeglasses when needed. Dispensing eyeglasses and communicating with patients via phone or in person with regards to their eyeglasses as needed. Manage clinic supplies and inventory daily. The Health Technician (Optometry) has direct interaction with Eye Clinic patients in Ophthalmology and Optometry Clinics. The Health Technician (Optometry) carries additional responsibilities that involve the oversight of specific services within the optometry service. Management of patient flow in the Optometry service is critical for the success of the facility. Tasks may be given from the Service Chief. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM- 4:30 PM Note: The main duty station will be Patchogue CBOC (3 days per week) with travel to Northport VAMC 2 days per week. Initial training will be at Northport VAMC only. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
