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
• 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)
• Experience and Education(1) Experience
• One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician
• OR, (2) 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, (3) Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying
• Examples are listed below:(a) Six months of experience in the health care field
• and one year above high school
• or(b) 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(c) 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)
• The exception only applies below the full performance level
• 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: 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: 1
• Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation 2
• Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens 3
• Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting 4
• Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology 5
• Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye 6
• Knowledge of optics 7
• Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Preferred Experience: Knowledge of the functions of the visual system, optics and basic ophthalmic pharmacology
• Knowledge of ocular physiology and microbiology
• Clinical ability to recognize ocular emergencies and ophthalmic complications so that appropriate triage of patients can be undertaken
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: The physical requirements of this position include occasional lifting, prolonged standing and sitting, frequent bending, walking (distance), climbing, reaching (overhead, extensive/repetitive), repetitive motion, and stooping
• The mental/sensory requirements include recall, reasoning, problem-solving, hearing, speaking clearly, writing legibly, reading, and logical thinking.