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 ongoing and advanced-level skill as an ophthalmic technician in a clinical setting by performing patient work-ups and providing patient education in a clinical setting independently, and then having it verified by the preceptor.

2. Perform a variety of diagnostic procedures offered in a clinical setting.

3. Participate as a team member in an ophthalmic practice.

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

5. Explain the importance of self-monitoring and personal professional development and how they relate to quality assurance and clinical practice.

6. Describe the responsibilities for the supervision of technical staff.

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.

4. Understand the importance of professional growth, and how that is related to quality work in the field.

Grades and competency will be determined according to the student's ability to demonstrate theoretical understanding, technical performance, and professional growth. The student must progress by assisting the ophthalmic technician or ophthalmologist in basic procedures. The student will be directly supervised at all times. Students will demonstrate acceptable patient care, and the ability to follow directions. These traits must be demonstrated satisfactorily to progress to the next level.

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 advantages 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

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Explain the importance of self-monitoring of personal professional development

• Describe quality assurance processes/monitor clinical outcomes

• Describe the responsibilities for the supervision of technical staff