When most people come in for an exam of any sort with a clinician, they typically have a medical assistant or nurse work with them to get started before the clinician comes into the exam room. In Optometry we are known as optometric assistants.
We are the people who solicit information about why the member has scheduled the appointment, ask health history questions about the members’ eyes and perform some of the preliminary tests. Our duties include checking vision and eye pressure, taking blood pressure, instilling eye drops, and answering messages to name a few. Some of us also help members with specialty testing such as visual field tests where peripheral vision is measured or taking retinal photos with a special camera.
We try to make sure that everything is running smoothly in the back office and that the optometrists have what they need to complete the exams. Each day we make sure all of the rooms are stocked properly and give the optometrists an idea of what the schedule looks like for that day. We also help streamline the patient experience by informing them of delays, making sure they understand what will happen during the examination and gathering information so all of their needs will be addressed by the clinician. This helps the optometrists because they have a good idea of what is going on and can form a game plan before they enter the room.
Kaiser required optometric assistants to become certified, and we are known as Certified Paraoptometric Assistants. Most of the assistants have obtained their certification through the American Optometric Association (AOA ). It is a self study program that can be done by anyone and the testing occurs quarterly throughout the year all across the nation. Once you are certified you must obtain at least 18 continuing education hours every three years. There are many ways to earn those credits like going to conventions or through on-line courses. We usually have one education day each year in Vision Essentials that is set up for opticians, contact lens technicians, and CPOAs to accrue some of their needed credits.
Deciding to become an optometric assistant was an easy decision for me. I had been working the front desk as an eye care support specialist and was ready for a change. Administration in Vision Essentials and the optometrists wanted more assistants in each of the clinics, so they decided to see if there was any interest within the work group about training for this new position. I had been working at Kaiser for six years and wanted a new challenge, as well as a more personal connection with our members. Of course I jumped at the chance and was thrilled when I was accepted into the program.
Two of our optometrists instructed us on the AOA material in a classroom setting. We attended class twice a week for three months and also had some Saturday classes in clinic so we could learn how to properly use all of the equipment in the exam rooms. Unfortunately, Kaiser does not have the same training available to those who have been hired from outside of Kaiser, since our training program ended in 2012. Each newly hired assistant must obtain their certification within 18 months and must pursue this on their own time. I feel very fortunate to have completed my training successfully and have this wonderful set of new skills. When I began working at Kaiser, there were less than ten assistants and now there are 30 of us across the region.
Being a CPOA for the last two years has been very rewarding for me. I cherish the relationships I have created with my doctors and coworkers. The one-on-one connection you make with each patient is the cherry on top. Even though we may be asking the same set of questions with each member, we get a different answer every time. It keeps the workday interesting and challenging. I hope to continue learning new things with this job for many years to come. I like to think that with the success of the optometric assistant program, we will always have this job opportunity available at Kaiser.
Contributed by: Erin Stidams