Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Students are assigned to one or more clinic sites for the entire term.  Each weekly rotation consists of 20-22 hours, the clinic site(s) are selected by the course instructor.  The assignment hours for each clinic are based on clinic schedules.

Students are required to wear attire conforming to the requirements set forth by the Ophthalmic Medical Technology Program.  Apparel shall consist of  a department approved navy blue scrubs, with PCC ID badge.  These items are purchased by the student in accordance with the guidelines provided by the course instructor.

Upon successful completion of the course students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate introductory-level skill as an ophthalmic technician in a clinical setting by performing patient work-ups and diagnostics tests under preceptor observation and providing patient education in a clinical setting. 

2. Demonstrate teamwork in an ophthalmic practice.

3. Integrate self-assessment and improve clinical and communication skills based on feedback and knowledge acquired from previous clinical experience. 

4. Apply knowledge of community resources and services available for patients in ophthalmology practices.

The goals are to enable the student to:

1. Gain experience in ophthalmic offices.

2. Make the transition from theory to practice as an ophthalmic technician.

3. Gain direct work experience with experienced clinical office personnel and observe working relationships within an ophthalmic office.

• Students are assigned to clinical rotations for up to eleven weeks, the rotations are selected by the course instructor. Insofar as possible, student requests for assignments will be taken into consideration. Clinical assignments will be scheduled for two to three eight hour shifts per week in accordance with the program schedule. Hours of assignment are based on clinic requirements and availability.  

• Students are required to wear navy blue scrubs with their PCC ID badge conforming to the requirements set forth by the PCC Ophthalmic Medical Technology program.

Assessment will be based on verbal and written progress reports at the clinical setting and in the campus laboratory. Evaluation criteria is based on daily performance, professional development, attitude, communication skills, attendance and interpersonal skills demonstrated with patients and office personnel. Students will receive an evaluation of their technical skills as well as their overall performance by the site supervisor after each practicum experience.
The grading system for the course is "Pass" or "No Pass" .  In order to receive a "Pass" grade, the student must:
    1. Satisfactorily complete the clinical rotation.
    2.  Receive a satisfactory evaluation (both clinical and interpersonal skills) from each of the work supervisors.
    3.  Complete all of the time assigned 216 hours.

The student will demonstrate understanding of the following themes, issues, concepts, and development of the following skills:

Themes, Concepts, Issues

• Front Office/Medical Records Management

• Electronic Medical Records practice

• Ophthalmic Scribing

• Medical Ophthalmic History

• Visual Acuity

• Visual Fields/Tangent Screen/Amsler Grid

• Tonometry/Biomicroscopy

• Exophthalmometry, Color Vision, Tear Function

• Retinoscopy, Refractometry

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

• Front Office/Medical Records Management

• Demonstrate proper methods of greeting and interviewing patients.

• Demonstrate ability to handle patient telephone calls appropriately, including triage and appointment scheduling.

• Perform routine front office duties such as insurance billing, reception, maintenance, and cashier.

• Prepare and demonstrate ability to properly handle medical records, i.e.initiation, filing, charting, content and purging.

MEDICAL AND OPHTHALMIC HISTORY

• Take an appropriate and complete medical and ophthalmic history.

• Demonstrate ability to perform adequate historical documentation.

• Transcribe obtained information into the chart succinctly and efficiently.

VISUAL ACUITY

• Identify methods of measuring visual acuity in adults and children.

• Demonstrate accurate recording of acuity measurements in the medical record.

• Demonstrate ability to accurately measure near vision.

• Define common abbreviations used in recording visual acuity.

• Operate the lensometer accurately and efficiently.

VISUAL FIELDS, TANGENT SCREEN AND AMSLER GRID

• Demonstrate static and kinetic perimetry.

• Demonstrate performance of manual and automated perimetry.

• Define isopter, scotoma, depression, contraction, central threshold target, and suprathreshold perimetry.

• Demonstrate methods for exploring defects with manual perimetry.

• Relate visual field loss to specific ocular dysfunction/pathology.

• Demonstrate the performance and properly record a confrontational field test.

• Explain quantification of scotomas and depressions.

• State four advantage of automated perimetry.

• Identify which size stimulus on a Goldman perimeter is equivalent to the usual test stimulus on a Humphrey Field Analyzer.

• Perform a Goldmann visual field examination with emphasis on correct procedure for plotting isopters, finding scotoma and investigating visual field loss.

• Perform Tangent screen if available.

• Properly calibrate Goldmann.

• Demonstrate, instruct and perform Amsler Grid.

TONOMETRY AND BIOMICROSCOPY

• Perform non-contact tonometry, if available.

• Perform applanation tonometry with Tonopen.

• Estimate anterior chamber depth with flashlight.

• Evaluate pupillary reaction.

• Perform biomicroscopy of anterior segment and ocular adnexa.

EXOPHTHALMOMETRY, COLOR VISION, TEAR FUNCTION

• Perform measurement of proptosis using a Hertel exophthalmometer.

• Demonstrate color vision testing using Ishihara test plates.

• Name alternate methods of color testing.

• Take a history relevant to identifying a possible dry eye patient.

• Perform Schirmer Tear Test I and II.

• Define and demonstrate a tear breakup time test.

RETINOSCOPY AND REFRACTOMETRY

• State and explain the principles of and indications for retinoscopy and refractometry.

• Describe the mechanism and functioning of the streak retinoscope.

• Describe the various types of behavior of the retinoscopic streak.

• Explain the recording of retinoscopic results and transpose those results into sphero-cylindrical form.

• Perform retinoscopy on the schematic eye.

• Perform retinoscopy on the human eye.

• Demonstrate appropriate maintenance of various phoropters and retinoscopes.

• Differentiate between refraction and refractometry.

• Describe subjective and objective methods of measuring refractive error.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS, PATIENT EDUCATION AND OPHTHALMIC COUNSELING

• Communicate effectively in the workplace

• Identify and provide care needs of diverse populations (cultural, gender, age, etc.)

• Demonstrate effective interpersonal relationship skills

• Recognize and refer to an ophthalmologist, clinic administrator, or AOP supervisor to address patient dissatisfaction.

• Instruct and educate patients on ocular/systemic diseases, medications, tests, procedures, results and treatments.

• Counsel and provide patient education on ophthalmic conditions, prevention, compliance, and acceptance

• Explain the effects prior to administering eye drops

• Demonstrate empathy for the patient