Optometrist

PLEASE NOTE - This position may require temporarily relocation to other TONHC Facilities: Sells Hospital, Santa Rosa Health Center, San Simon Health Center, and San Xavier Health Center.

Position Summary:

The Optometrist provides diagnostic, preventative, and/or therapeutic eye care services to the patients of the Tohono O'odham Nation Sells hospital and health care centers.

Scope of Work:

This position is located within the Tohono O'odham Nation Sells hospital and is organizationally assigned to TONHC health center facilities. The incumbent provides direct, primary, prevention, and therapeutic optometric care to the Tohono O'odham Nation patients. The position may require 50% travel to any of the four health care facilities-the incumbent reports to the Optometry Supervisor.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: (Depending on the area of assignment, an incumbent may not be required to perform some of the duties listed below):

• Provides direct care to patients in a responsible, respectful and caring manner to diagnose optometric/ocular problems through external and internal physical evaluation of the eye and surrounding tissues.
• Independently provide comprehensive optometric services that utilize optometric procedures and instrumentation techniques to detect neuromuscular impairment or anomalies of binocular function.
• Treat visual disorders through examination, prescription of corrective lenses, vision training, and pharmacologic means.
• Responsible for reviewing case histories of patients, analyzing visual functions, far acuity, near acuity, a field of vision, depth of perception, ocular coordination, and color perception.
• Uses objective and subjective methods for detecting apparent ocular and systemic disease in the eyes and refers patients to the appropriate health professional upon diagnosing ocular manifestations of systemic disease.
• Prescribes vision aids, contact, and conventional lenses, and corrective eye exercises deemed necessary.
• Provide optometric services that require advanced instrumentation, procedures, and techniques to detect and correct unusual visual deficiencies.
• Consults with the Ophthalmology staff or private Ophthalmologist and medical practitioners as warranted.
• Record all patient care examinations, assessments, procedures, and care plans appropriate health records electronically and manually in compliance with professional standards.
• Provides guidance, direction, and support to facilitate the functions of the entire eye care staff.
• Follow Human Resources policies on EEO-related matters.
• Contribute to a team effort.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the Tohono O'odham culture, customs, and traditions.
• Knowledge and understanding of advanced optometric procedures and instrumentation techniques and their various applications in the detection and correction of unusual visual deficiencies.
• Knowledge of legal regulations and requirements about confidentiality, specifically to the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
• Knowledge of urgent/emergency ocular treatment.
• Professional optometric knowledge and skills in examining and analyzing the eye for disease or defects and prescribing correctional lenses or exercises.
• Skill in providing superior customer service to external and internal customers.
• Ability to serve as an authoritative source of information for optometric conduct practice in any phase of the optometry program.
• Ability to organize and plan work.
• Ability to deal with individuals from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently, use sound judgment, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with other employees and the general public.
• Ability to work extended hours and various work schedules.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) accredited by the Council on Optometric Education, and
• One year work experience in clinical optometry practice.

• A current license to practice optometry in a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory is required.
• Upon recommendation for hire, a criminal background and a National FBI fingerprint check are required to determine suitability for employment, including a 39-month driving record.
• May require possessing and maintaining a valid driver's license (no DUIs or major traffic citations within the last three years).
• If required, must meet the Tohono O'odham Nation tribal employer's insurance requirements to receive a driver's permit to operate program vehicles.
• Based on the department's needs, incumbents may be required to demonstrate fluency in both the Tohono O'odham language and English as a condition of employment.