Supervisory Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

About the role

The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at the GS-9 Supervisory Level performs difficult ophthalmic technical duties with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment. The Supervisory Technician may be delegated full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) staff activities for the service or equivalent unit at an independent outpatient clinic.

Responsibilities

• Monitoring clinical performances of Health Technician (Ophthalmology) staff
• Conducting performance appraisals, and other clinical and administrative responsibilities to ensure that the mission of the service and the medical center has been satisfied.
• Affirms compliance with accrediting agency and regulatory requirements
• Ensures the quality of the pre-analytical processes as part of the overall Health Technician (Ophthalmology) service quality management program, and initiates corrective action as needed.
• Ensures orientation and competency assessment of assigned staff, and supervises interactions of Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) with affiliate ophthalmology residents.
• Develops policies and procedures, manages document control, develops performance standards, position descriptions and functional statements, and is responsible for professional and administrative management of an assigned area to include budget execution.
• Maintains interdepartmental relations with other services to accomplish medical center goals.
• May have overall responsibility for planning, assessing, and evaluating programs to ensure proper coordination between care delivered by the program and overall delivery of healthcare within the facility, or coordination of non-VA care as appropriate.

Requirements

• One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician.
• 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. (Transcripts Required).
• 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).
• 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).

Qualifications

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-8 grade level.
• Specialized Experience Includes: Performing a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures with responsibility for checking calibration of instruments prior to the procedure. Responsible for obtaining patient physical history. Accurately testing visual acuity at distance and near, with and without correction or with and without a pinhole. Measuring eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder. Performing pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, etcetera. Performing basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter. Instills eye medications (i.e., drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilation, cycloplegic, or antibiotics. Responsible for measuring intraocular pressure of the eye utilizing techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry. Performing pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature. Performing intra-ocular lens calculations using the IOL Master. Performing automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines. Performing external photographs and fundus photography. Performing optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. Performing patient screening and triage emergencies identifying ocular emergencies. Performing patient screening and telephone triage for immediate care. Assisting 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. Educating patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions. Assisting in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations. Ensuring 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.

Skills

• Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills, and skills in interpersonal relations and conflict resolution to deal with employees, team leaders, providers, and managers
• Ability to perform the full range of supervisory duties, which includes responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluations; selection of qualified staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and, when appropriate, disciplinary actions
• Ability to plan, organize, coordinate clinical work flow, set short and/or long-term goals for the section, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.

Benefits

• None specified in the provided job posting.

Pay

• GS-9 Grade Band: $36,990.00 to $50,560.00 annually.

Schedule

• Full-Time