Job Description

Summary

This position is located within the Charles George VA Medical Center Pharmacy. This position provides support to all pharmacy operations in a variety of settings. This includes patient care activities in the main outpatient dispensing pharmacy - phone center - outpatient clinic - administration area - or other areas as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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)
• Certification: Must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) OR National Health-Career Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• 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: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) OR National Health-Career 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)
• Grandfather Provision
• A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• Grade Determinations: GS-7:Experience: In addition to Basic Requirements candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• Certification: 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 meeting the demonstration of the following KSAs: in addition to meeting the demonstration 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
• Preferred Experience: Performing patient care activities in the main outpatient dispensing pharmacy - phone center - outpatient clinics - administration area - or other areas of hospital
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of to GS-7. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion - involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time - typing - walking distances within the medical center - lifting/carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies - and bending/stooping/ stretching.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: The Pharmacy Technician duties includes - but are not limited to the following: Reads and interprets prescriptions from the veteran electronic health record systems (EHRS) or in written format
• Reviews prescription orders for technical accuracy
• Prepares medications and ensures the orderable item matches the item being dispensed regarding drug - strength - quantity - or appropriate supply item
• Dispenses medications following all regulations - policies - and procedures for safe medication distribution
• Uses Automatic Dispensing machines (ADM) to batch and label medications
• Ensure ScriptTalk labels are batched if needed
• Understands when to use other prescription labels with computer outages
• Maintains highly sophisticated pharmacy equipment
• This includes cleaning procedures and maintenance of ADM's and other counting machines
• Troubleshoots equipment and databases when needed
• Assists with automated or manual inventory processes that include but are not limited to inventory counts - medication ordering - stocking - checking for outdates - pulling outdates - pulling recalled medications - inspections or any other activity related to the supply of VA medications
• Accurately interprets EHRM patient medication profiles
• Can confirm prescription information in the Pharmacy computer packages
• Able to execute refills or other technician duties within the pharmacy software
• Accurately or updates patient information in the many pharmacy software packages such as ADM's and EHRM
• Accurately enters notes into the electronic health record using pharmacy templates or blank forms
• Comprehends and participates in procurement activities - inventory management - narcotic dispensing - secure messaging - overnight mail - partial fills - window dispensing - administrative reports - prescription review - and incident reports as delegated by supervisor
• Prioritizes workload to complete assignments on time
• Maintains a safe orderly and clean working environment
• Ensures all look alike - sound alike - high alert - refrigerated medications are stored properly according to manufactures recommendations and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requirement
• Maintains adaptability and flexibility for various emerging roles and responsibilities in the medication distribution system including new equipment - assignments - and changes in pharmacy workflow
• Other Duties: As deemed necessary by the pharmacy supervisor - assists in other patient care areas (including outpatient pharmacy services) to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services
• Work Schedule: 7a-3:30p - 8a-4:30p - 9:30a-6p rotating weekends - holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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