I recently had the opportunity to present to technicians at the Washington State Eye Physicians and Surgeons Annual meeting in Seattle. I was inspired by their passion to learn and admissions of their weaknesses as well as their strengths. Many hold the position of Tech Trainer for practices of various sizes. Everyone shared the frustration of not having enough time to train properly, especially when the demand for patient care is so high. But, they also related their success stories. 

Much of this has been achieved by sharing their passion for the field with the new hires and mentoring those that showed the curiosity to continue learning. One in particular, I learned, is preparing to take the COA exam and has a 5-year goal of achieving her COMT. She has been fortunate to learn the “why” as part of her training. She is quickly becoming a critical thinker.

The Importance of Critical Thinking

Coincidently, there is an article in this edition titled “Critical Thinking in the Patient Workup.” It is not an ability that comes naturally but develops over time and builds on experience. The same logic can be applied to mostly every position in the practice. With critical thinking we are able to provide our patients with appropriate triage and care so the doctors can make a quick diagnosis.

In addition, many of the trainers I spoke with also mentioned struggling with the challenges of educating several generations simultaneously. In her article, “Leading a Multigenerational Team,” Myra Cherchio, COMT, COE, discusses the factors that influenced each generation and provides suggestions to build communication and teamwork among them.

Counseling Patients, Training Staff on the LAL

Also relating to education, the surgeons of Stone Oak Ophthalmology Center discuss counseling their patients to make the best IOL choice for their individual lifestyle needs. One of these options is the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL; RxSight). In addition, Kasey Gantz also shares how her practice, Alliance Vision Institute, has educated its team and streamlined its workflows in order to create a successful integration of this unique lens.

Be sure to check out these articles and more in our April issue. And don’t miss our web exclusive articles that we will also be featuring in April. Finally, we are excited to announce a new wellness series! We want to hear how you cope with stress during a busy day at your practice. OP

Jane T. Shuman, MSM, COT, COE, OSC, is the Editor-in-Chief of Ophthalmic Professional, and a nationally recognized authority on clinical flow, scheduling and technician education. Prior to founding Eyetechs, she worked for over 15 years as an ophthalmic technician and clinical manager.