I have the fun task of making a "checklist" for training a new optician. Does any one have a good Training outline or any tips on what is the most efficient way to train someone new?
Any tips appreciated!!
I have the fun task of making a "checklist" for training a new optician. Does any one have a good Training outline or any tips on what is the most efficient way to train someone new?
Any tips appreciated!!
You're calling this person a new optician. Are you meaning someone with opticianry training, or a new out of the box hire, who is not an optician? The tips would be totally different for each. We could give you tips better by knowing.:)Originally Posted by chad724
Diane
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
We are looking at a new out of the box hire.
How does your office operate? Is this person expected to be a jack of all trades, ie: handle insurance, reception, appointments, pre-test, along with sales, dispense, repair, and possibly edge? Or is this someone that will primarily work the dispensary, and while they need to be able to figure out the insurance copays, they don't have to worry about how to pull, auth, or file it?
How that checklist shapes up depends on your job description.
For a very basic intro to "opticianry" I would look at getting a copy of the optician's handbook that is put out by 20/20 every year. While it certainly doesn't cover everything, it does a decent job of explaining the very minimum in working knowledge needed to function. I would also suggest getting ABO study materials (like TOPS) to take it a bit further.
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
Chad,
This industry is so different in that training to be effective has to be very flexible for each person. But generally I start people off slowly... and have them get used to the routing tasks of the office first.
I actually start them out cleaning demo lenses everyday because its the best way to teach them whats on the frame boards, that way when they are ready to find eyewear they already know every frame in the place... and know them well. I watch to see if they are trying on eyewear and seeing how it looks on them.
Whether it looks good or not, I ask them WHY does that frame look good on them? Or not? I usually give even new employees a free pair of eyewear but they have to pick out their own frame.
So I do step 1 - rountine tasks: Cleaning demo lenses, dusting, filing, verify insurance coverage, recall post cards, confirming appointments, tagging frames, cleaning trays, putting contacts away... they hate it but they are learning more than they know. They are also over hearing a lot of things, and when they start asking questions I know they are ready for the next step.
After about a month or two of that, I give them an optical book to go through chapter by chapter at about 1 or 2 per week, OLA has a good one here: http://www.advanceoptical.com/downlo...nsingGuide.pdf. I find that if I wait a little bit they have a much higher rate of retention and their questions are much better, than if I started them from day one on the book. I quiz them each week on the chapters, and as orders come through relating to the information they learned, I show them what we are doing and why. I tie the information in the book to what is happing in the office.
About a quater of the way through the book I have them watch me while I adjust eyewear, and explain what I am doing at each step. If the patient is NOT there, I start them on changing nose pads. I will also give them some old frames, bend them WAY out of shape, and let them figure out how to bend them back with almost no instruction... of course this NOT patient eyewear. I only step in when they get stuck. After they have bent up one pair on their own, I will teach them each adjustment with each proper tool. The second frame usually goes much faster, but this way I am training not only what we do... but why we do it.
About this point I have them shadow me on frame selects, and also they start ordering contacts from the vendors. I will during the frame selects, let them know what I am looking for both cosmetically and things to watch out for (large frames for High RX's etc), longer B's for Progressives etc.
For their first frame select I usually use kids. Kids are pretty forgiving, a lot of time the parents left the child with me while the parent is in their exam, so there is no pressure. Plus the kids frames are more limited, and lens choices are more limited (rarely do kids have progressives). If they do well, they will be doing most of the frame selects for kids from then on.
Its usually at this point I come back to teaching adjustments, and give them more detailed information on what to do, and what tools to use. People need to know adjustments BEFORE fitting progressives. They are at this point changing out lenses, nose pads, and replacing simple temple screws. In may cases I asked the patients to leave the glasses and come back in 10 minutes (or twice as long as I really needed). I found that putting new people under time pressure is the best way to ensure a disaster, so for new people I free the time issue as much as I can.
When they have basic adjustment skills down, I come back to the issue of Progressives. Usually at this point they are almost through the book, and they have done one or two frame selects for adults. I do the Progessive section twice, once out of the book, and my own information about 2 weeks later. During this time they doing frame pre-adjustments and taking progressive measurements while supervised. I usually double check everything before the order is processes.
I usually only start teaching insurance at this point, but some people LOVE insurance stuff, so they may get it much sooner.
Trouble shooting RX problems is the most difficult thing to teach, and I usually start by having them shadow me again while I go through the steps I use.
At this point, they get a more detailed text book and go through the whole read a chapter and get quizzed thing all over again, but if they have survived this long they usually do really well.
What Sharpstick says is a pretty good starting regimen.
However you will need to make arrangements for any possible disciplinary action.
So make sure you have a bullwhip and a large vat of acid.:bbg:
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
Sharpstick, The dispensing guide is great, Thank-you.
Our office likes to keep the insurance to the front desk staff and the contact lens to the assistants. This way the opticians are able to focus on fitting eyewear that benefits the patient the most. We do cross train but we like to get employees comfortable in there own roles first.
I will have to look into that vat of acid, any OSHA requirements on that?
OSHA, SCHMOSHA, that's part of the reason for the vat, if they inspect, throw the inspector in.
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
Haha!, we think alike man, I was thinking "make sure you have your beating stick ready!" when I read the first post.
Bart Smith, continuing to be awesome since 1982 so that you don't have to.
Love is a duet, each voice complementing each other and making them sound better than they would alone, each voice at times stepping back and letting the other shine. We've got a pretty good duet going Tina.
On April 28th, I'll be marrying my best friend. I can't wait!
Doesn't Chris sell an A/R stripper? Less explaining to the police if you have a 50 gallon vat of A/R stripper just sitting open as opposed to acid.
In my office we use "The Optician Training Manual". Just updated to its digital web-based edition, OptiQuick, and have been very pleased. I use it to train all my new opticians. It covers just about everything (basic optics principles, adjustments, materials, troubleshooting, customer service, etc.) Found at www.OpticianTraining.com
Until we get rid of "training" programs like these, and require someone who has an education to start with we are going nowhere. We are the ONLY allied health field remaining that allows for this form of training to prepare for licensure and/or certification because it has been continually proven ineffective. Why not go to the college in your state to hire? MATC used to have a program. It is not nationally accredited by the COA, but it is better than starting at point 0.
Milwaukee Area Technical College? it's still has an opticianry program.
http://www.matc.edu/student/offering...ision_care.cfm
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
I can't speak for the rest of the country, but here in Georgia we have had all of one school teach opticianry, that is about 3 hours from most metro areas. We just got one in the Metro Atlanta area opened this year/ last year. So we have no real option other than hands on teaching. The kicker to this is we "require" a LDO at each location, unless dispensing under the Doctor. That leads to some fun, fun things.
Now I agree that there is so much knowledge that we miss doing this that it should be a crime. (It's why I'm starting classes asap even after 7 years of doing this)
Only 22 states have any requirement, other than a pulse, and in some of those states I even wonder about that. Other professions travel to school. If what we do is important at all. we must send these folks to the school, not worry that it is not in our back yard. Apprenticeship is long out-dated, and doing a poor job, as most of the folks who do the training are poorly trained themselves. This has caused a dumbing down of this field consistently for decades. The so-called "leadership" in the field is hesitant to support education because they learned via on-the-job training, so it should be good for this current crop. Really forward thinking! Most Opticians do not know what they do not know! There was a school at DeKalb Tech for many, many years right outside Atlanta. It has now re-opened after a brief hiatus.
Consider this......if a Licensed Optician is not required in these locations, then what we do is really of little importance, correct? I that is the case, why have a license to begin with, and just do away with the damn things? They should require a license, especially since now the ODs are not learning a great deal about ophthalmic dispensing. So.....you have two schools. They should be full each term, and adding new faculty to support them.
Now, a barrage of folks will get on the board and make asinine arguments against education, saying that they need to learn hands-on skills, and they are correct. Every program requires hands-on work. Education is not necessary, they say. Well, that shows little support for their own "profession" and what they have chose for their life's endeavor. But I have heard them all, and will not argue the point further. It is pointless to argue against people who have no education to begin with trying to hold the future Optician down, just because that's the way we have always done it. I have said my piece on the issue now for the 1000th time. It will be supported by a lot, and disparaged by others. But I stand by my premise if this field is to grow.
If you have internet access, you have access to formal education.
Durham Technical Community College Michael Szczerbiak (919) 686-3485(919) 686-3485
Hillsborough Community College William Underwood (813) 253-7430
Community College of Southern Nevada Scott Helkaa (702) 651-5834
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Kristi Green (804) 523-5415
4, count 'em 4 online degree programs. #noexcuses #4-year-old-thread
Very nice suggestions! Great thread. The ultimate goal of new hire training: relaxing when I'm on vacation.
I was brought up in a similar fashion and I think it works well...start at front desk/reception. The candidate should be vetted on the most essential communication skills & problem-solving chops first. Tone, attitude, service, teamwork. Once they're perfected at the front desk (already having developed some sales skills for exams and CLs,) then the patient should study the price sheet and use it an ongoing study guide to product education. First they can ring up exams, then contact lenses, etc. Then the other bookend of insurance filing. Once they have this down, they have a good understanding of the practice's life system and what runs through it---diagnostic codes, service codes, Rx's, and toe-hold in optics on CLs: powers, sph/cyl/axis, diameters, base curves, etc.
If they prove they have the chops to handle front desk tasks and billing perfectly and reliably, then they're ready to test on formal optics exposure. Roll out the diagnostic codes and then draw corresponding pictures of lenses and rays for their flashcards. Lens materials that they should have absorbed from the price list by now are a good place to start. Index of refraction, abbe, shatter-resistant duty to warn, etc.
Once they have a grip on base curves, then they can move to frames and spot which are appropriate for high minuses versus high pluses.
They're then ready to 'tag team' sales with the trainer opticians on single vision sales. Then the math begins!
This approach is a slow curve, but here they start to shoot up fast based on their own patient experiences. FT & progressives soon to follow. If the possibility exists of cross-training on lab, you're well on your way to making a super optician that'll let you truly relax whenever you go on vacation.
Do you consider yourself a professional? With that comes now not only an expectation of a formal education in this country, it is demanded by the general public. We have fooled them for too long! With all due respect, you come from a state where the ONLY requirement to be an Optician is a pulse, and that is unacceptable in the grand scheme of things if we want this field to improve. Now there are some really good Opticians in your state, but the majority who never attended a formal program have no idea what they do not know. Evidence of that is several who completed the NAIT program some years back. Several were Master Opticians, but had difficulty passing the coursework in the program. All indicated they learned a great deal more than they ever thought they would.
Apprenticeship is outdated and a poor mode of professional training that has been eliminated by EVERY other health-related field.........of course, except us due to this same kind of ignorance that is rampant in this industry. It must be eliminated to use the title Optician at some point.
If you have internet access, you have access to formal education.
Durham Technical Community College Michael Szczerbiak (919) 686-3485
Hillsborough Community College William Underwood (813) 253-7430
Community College of Southern Nevada Scott Helkaa (702) 651-5834
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Kristi Green (804) 523-5415
4, count 'em 4 online degree programs. #noexcuses #4-year-old-thread
Are all of those 100% online degrees? I thought they all required at least some on-campus attendance.
They require an approved proctor for lab and clinicals.
I just scanned through this thread real quick and did not see anything about a making a pair of glasses. If I missed it my apologies.
I read quite a few useful tips but chad724 did not tell us exactly what was expected of this "optician".
Is the primary job going to be in a lab environment? On the retail floor? Working up pt's for the Dr.? Do they want the "Optician" to be versed in insurance?
Are they looking for a job specific person or a, "jack of all trades", "girl Friday" kind of person.
Unlike a "Dr" along with the title comes the assumption the Dr know's all. But he really does and knows only a job specific chore.
For some reason a "Optician" is supposed to know all about everything from sweeping the floor to insurance, every phone number of every optical in town. Know how glasses are made, how to sell, what colors and shapes look good on a person. All the way through refurbishing a generator and cyl machines. Down to how many min a glass job is supposed to be hardened. He is also supposed to know about the anatomy and physiology of the eye. Know everything about all brands of contact lenses as in material water content base curves diameter and if the warehouse out in Washington has them in stock or not.
What I am saying here is a job description cannot be put together without knowing what the job is supposed to be. Until then the description is limitless.
Awesome. As Judy pointed out. Here we are. All responding to a 4 year old thread. We are all eager to share our knowledge with a four year old question.
Not sure what your post has to do with answering the question of the OP. Since the premise of this question implies reliance upon apprenticeship as the means of training optometic techiness, I'm uncertain why I aroused your vocal disapproval more than any other post here.
I do agree the title of "Optitian" is too easily thrown about. I won't try to claim turf of your desired semantic. Those undertrained 'opticians' in my state are my best advertising. Additionally, I'll concede that apprenticeship alone as a training vehicle certainly has its problems, and alone it is insufficient to ensure mastery required of proficient patient care.
Having said that, I do not believe "formality" is necessarilly a virtue to the patient in terms of health care or economics. A desire by a professional to advance one's own understanding is essential in either educational path. Its presence and perserverence will reach the destination in either case. Lack of it will not redeem either path.
What is a problem is when a cabal tries to guard the gates of 'arcane knowledge' and use the dam to make a trade guild. Free markets have little tolerance for it. So apparantly do doctors. I didn't assume chad was a corporate optical manager, but one delegated to train up someone who's being supervised under the practice's care and accountable to the doctor's license. So if that doctor wants to call the new hire an optician (or optician-in-training, or optometric tech, or some trademarked acronym of his/her own amusement), then I think your beef is with optometrists.
Very helpful! I work with a NEW HIRE and she has no knowledge what so ever! In one ear, out the other.
Sounds like the first lesson should be information retention. If not any other attempts will be futile.
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