Optometrist

JOB SUMMARY: Provides patient care in the office setting. Assess patients' eyes to identify vision defects, diseases, and injuries. duties include maintaining medical files, evaluating eye defects, recording treatment plans, and performing eye inspections. Provides care that meets the psychosocial, physical, and general aspects of care; meets the communication needs of patient and family; provides care that reflects initiative and responsibility indicative of professional expectations. Maintains regulatory requirements, office policies, procedures, and standards. Communicates with optometrists and team members about patient's clinical condition, including results of diagnostic studies and symptomatology.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Perform thorough routine eye inspections.
• Identify the patient's visual alertness, field of vision, and hand-eye coordination.
• Diagnose sight problems, such as nearsightedness and color blindness.
• Prescribe corrective lenses and medications.
• Maintain accurate medical files for all patients.
• Promote eye health by teaching patients about proper eye care techniques.
• Identify and assess eye defects and diseases such as diabetes and liver failure.
• Record all diagnosis and treatment plans including transfers and therapeutic prescriptions.
• Provides direct patient care under the supervision of an optometrist, evaluates outcomes, consults with other health team members as required. Prepares patient for vision examination; assists in testing for near and far acuity, depth perception, macula integrity, color perception, and visual field, utilizing ocular testing apparatus.
• Performs patient care responsibilities considering needs specific to the standard of care for patient's age.
• Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health care errors.
• Supports and maintains a culture of safety and quality.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age-appropriate care to the patients served.
• Medical and surgical asepsis is carried out during treatments and special procedures.
• Treats patients and their families with respect and dignity. Identifies and addresses psychosocial, cultural, ethnic, and religious/spiritual needs of patients and family.
• Interacts professionally with patient and family and involves patient and family in patient education.
• Meets current documentation standards and policies.
• Maintains established office policies and procedures, objectives, performance improvement program, safety, environmental and infection prevention, and control standards.
• Maintains a safe, comfortable, and therapeutic environment for patients and families in accordance with office standards.
• Maintains a good working relationship with all staff members of the office.
• Manages and operates equipment safely and correctly.
• Demonstrates the ability to be flexible, organized and function under stressful situations.
• Response to the patient is appropriate in emergency or physically distressful situations.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Meets dress code standards; appearance is neat and clean.
• Completes annual educational requirements.
• Maintains regulatory requirements.
• Reports to work on time and as scheduled; completes work within designated time.
• Wears identification while on duty, uses computerized punch time system correctly.
• Completes in-services and returns in a timely fashion.
• Attends staff meetings as directed; reads and returns all monthly staff meeting minutes.
• Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner in the community.
• Ensures patient confidentiality.
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
• Communicates the mission, ethics, and goals of the facility, as well as the focus statement of the department.
• Actively participates in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.