Health Technician - Ophthalmology

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/22/2024.

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:
1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.2. 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).3. 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.

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.

4. 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). NOTE: All certified applicants must provide proof of certification/ JCAHPO ID Number.

• 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 of GS-8. 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.

Grandfathering Provision: 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: Health Technician (Ophthalmology)GS-5 (Entry Level)

• Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements

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.

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.

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; and
  • Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.

Preferred Experience: Eye Health Technician: checking in patients for Eye MD patients, the only position trained to do all eye imaging and testing (example: photos, cataract testing, visual field testing),assisting in eye injections, clinic management administrative duties, triage of urgent eye complaints and walk in visits, receiving and triaging consults, and running technician independent clinics (such as refraction clinic, visual field clinic and TECS Program routine eye exam clinic).

Reference: VA HANDBOOK 5005/98, PART II APPENDIX G52, Dated February 7, 2018. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-8.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to moderately lift and carry 15 to 44 pounds, reach above shoulders, to use fingers and both eyes, have depth perception, distinguish different shades of color, have the ability to hear (hearing aids are permitted) and the ability to access all patient care areas as required. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing or walking for prolonged periods of time, frequent bending, reaching, stooping, and stretching to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus, lifting and repositioning patients (60 to 200 plus pounds), and pushing or pulling heavy objects and/or equipment. Must be prepared to assist patients that need cardiac resuscitation and to help patients that code, faint, or fall.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: