Uncertified Ophthalmic Assistant

-May be entitled to translation/bilingual, shift or other wage premiums as governed by the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Please refer to the respective collective bargaining agreement for additional information on such wage premiums: https://www.lmpartnership.org/local-contracts.

Job Summary:

Under direct supervision of Department Manager and guidance of physician or Optometrist, performs a wide variety of eye care duties to assist the medical providers in the examination and treatment of eye disorders, using knowledge of advanced opthalmic techniques and procedures. Makes members/patients and their needs a primary focus of ones actions; develops and sustains productive member/patient relationships. Actively seeks information to understand member/patient circumstances, problems, expectations, and needs. Builds rapport and cooperative relationship with members/patients. Considers how actions or plans will affect members, responds quickly to meet member/patient needs and resolves problems.

Essential Responsibilities:

• This position, knows and complies with all Kaiser Permanente quality, safety, and emergency policies and procedures. Demonstrates quality and effectiveness in work habits and clinical practice in every interaction with patients, colleagues, providers, and leadership. Ensures patient safety in the preparation and provisioning of care related to but not limited to medications, procedures, infection prevention, fall prevention, including consistent use of two patient identifiers and procedural time outs. Reports safety hazards, accidents and incidents, and unsafe working conditions promptly.
• Prepares examination and treatment rooms for use by medical providers by cleaning, stocking, and arranging supplies.
• Prepares examination and treatment rooms by cleaning, stocking and arranging supplies and equipment which requires bending, reaching and moderate lifting of up to approximately 45 pounds throughout the day.
• Reviews appointment schedule to determine patient visits order; greets and escorts patients to examination or treatment room, instructs or assists patient in preparation for scheduled procedures including communication by telephone and in person. Interviews patient to obtain ocular history, family history, systemic illness, allergies and medications and appropriate documentation in medical record.
• Performs vision screening examinations as directed, recording data on standard format for interpretation by medical provider. This includes: Vsual acuity - cc and sc glasses/ distance and near; Stereopsis; Color testing;Tonometry - NCT/Applanation; Icare; Tonopen; EOM; Pupil assessment; CVF; Slit Lamp examination; and Lensometry.
• Performs other technical skills as directed by physician which will include:Keratometry (manual or automatic); Retinosscopy; Refractometry (manual or automatic); Potenial acuity meter; visual field; Photography (fundus, anterior segment & external); Ultrasound (A scan and B scan measurements); and the removal, cleaning and insertion of contact lenses. Additional testing as ordered by a physician.
• Scribes pertinent medical findings, assessment, and plan, as dictated by eye care provider.
• Assists medical providers during minor surgical and laser (Argon, Yag) procedures by setitng up necessary equipment (e.g. lenses, goniosol, drops, etc.); attending to patient during procedure; and providing appropriate supplies and instruments as directed, while stricly adhering to sterile technique.
• Cleans, packages, and sterilizes reusable supplies and instruments as needed, using an autoclave or germicidal solution. Cleans and maintains ophthalmic instruments (e.g. slit lamp, ophthalmoscopes, lenses, etc.) appropriately.
• Scan/upload medical documentation.
• Performs routine clerical and reception duties as directed, such as ordering supplies, filing progress sheets, completing patient visit records, maintaining department logs, answering phones, taking messages, checking in patients, and using the on-line computer system appropriately.
• Administers eye medication (drops) as ordered by physician.
• Performs other duties as assigned, such as assisting in orienting and training new employees, transporting equipment and patients, stocking shelves, and taking inventories.
• In addition to defined technical requirements, accountable for consitently demonstrating service behaviors and principles defined by the Kaiser Permanente Service Quality Credo, the KP Mission s well as specific departmental/organizational initiatives. Also accountable for consistently demonstrating the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors necessary to provide superior and culturally sensitive to each other, to our members, and to purchases, contracted providers, and vendors.

Basic Qualifications: Experience

• Minimum of six (6) months of satisfactory full time experience as an assistant in an eye care setting OR completion of a JCAHPO approved course for Ophthalmic Assistants.

Education

• High School Diploma OR General Education Diploma (GED) required.

License, Certification, Registration

• Basic Life Support within 3 months of hire
  

Additional Requirements:

• The union and the company are currently investigating the qualifications for this position under the bargaining unit. If it is determined that the qualifications are different than as described, appropriate action will be taken.
• Demonstrated customer service skills, customer focus abilities and the ability to understand Kaiser Permanente customer needs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• N/A