Summary

Pharmacy technicians at this level are nationally certified and can work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties at the VHASLC HCS. These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. They assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• Foreign Education: To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• Education or Experience: None required
• For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify - equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying
• The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level - the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: (1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
• OR (2) National Healthcareer Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)
• Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician - GS-07
• Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-6. Assignments GS-6: Pharmacy technicians at the full performance level may fill orders - dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs
• Duties will include delivery of medications to floors/patients - filling medications for the pharmacist to review - checking for expired medications - answering phones with appropriate disposition - preparing sterile products (when applicable) and assisting with basic inventory management such as putting up stock and identifying when medications need to be ordered
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level - the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: (a) PTCB as a CPhT
• OR (b) NHA as a ExCPT
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles - practices - concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
• (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
• (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team - Veterans and external customers
• (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students
• (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations - policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution
• (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians
• Provides support to all pharmacy operations in a variety of settings
• Required to have principles - practices - concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
• Responsible for computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
• Resolves pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team
• Trains developmental pharmacy technicians and students
• Dispenses medication or sterile products following all regulations - policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution
• Troubleshoots automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases
• Prepares medications and ensures the orderable item matches the item being dispensed with regard to drug - strength - quantity or appropriate supply item
• Uses ScriptPro and ScriptTalk to batch and label medications
• Assists with automated or manual inventory processes
• Accurately interprets CPRS patient medication profiles
• Accurately enters or updates patient information in ScriptPro - CPRS or VISTA
• Comprehends and participates in procurement activities - inventory management - narcotic dispensing - mental health programs - secure messaging - overnight mail - partial fills - window dispensing - administrative reports - prescription review - incident reports - and so forth as delegated by supervisor
• Prioritizes workload to complete assignments on time
• Required to be adaptability and flexibility for various emerging roles and responsibilities in the medication distribution system
• Must understand complex phone systems - CPRS - VISTA - and ScriptPro
• Capable of synthesizing patient information to identify basic therapeutic - distributive - or medication related problems
• Must alert pharmacists or Supervisor of problems - concerns or issues immediately
• Seeks opportunity to support pharmacy operations when phone volume low
• Ensures prescription label matches mailing label and maintains accuracy in other software or paper systems
• Must transport mail containers to pickup destinations - restock supplies - lift mail bags or containers
• Assists with other medication distribution activities as directed by pharmacist - supervisor - or as delineated as part of the shift responsibility
• Fills \"CS medication\" in accordance with description provided in the medication distribution section
• Accurately maintains a rolling inventory in Pyxis and supports a complete inventory every 72 hours per VA guidelines
• Ensures access to CS vault are limited to the appropriate staff
• Matches hardcopy prescriptions to prescription labels according to current federal and state requirements in a timely fashion
• Monitors prescription orders for dispensing accuracy and communicates potential problems to supervisor
• Must clean the CS area or other areas as directed to limit contamination
• Assists in quality improvement projects as an individual or on assigned teams to improve pharmacy service
• Maintains pharmacy security
• This includes the physical security of the pharmacy and the security of electronic records
• Complies with waste streams guild lines for returned medications and medications to be destroyed
• Completes required training in a timely manner
• Work Schedule: M-F 8:am-4:30pm - Rotating evening - weekends & holidays
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 59966A
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.