Summary
This position functions primarily in Pharmacy Service in the inpatient care areas within the VA Medical Center. Employees at this grade level serve as staff pharmacy technicians receiving little guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patients and procedures and require minimal supervision. Pharmacy technicians prepare medications for inpatients in various settings - including sterile product preparation.
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
- Education or Experience: None Required
- 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: 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 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-7 Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
- 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
- Assignments
- For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
- Pharmacy technicians at this level are nationally certified and can work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties
- 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
- At this level - pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy
- They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy - including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations - with minimal oversight
- Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
- The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: The work involves regular and recurring physical exertion including walking - bending - prolonged standing - stooping - lifting and carrying packages weighing up to 40 pounds
- Dexterity is required for the operation of Pharmacy equipment.
Duties
- The duties include - but are not limited to: For unit-dose medications - performs final review of medication when prepared by another technician - to be dispensed to inpatient areas (med-carts - ward stock) - and/or fills unit-dose carts independently without secondary review when necessary
- Prepares inpatient drug orders including all medicinal dosage forms such as - intravenous admixtures - oral solids - etc. - according to established procedures and protocols
- Inventories and replenishes emergency carts
- Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes as required
- Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment such as unit dose prepackaging machines - automatic dispensing machines - IV compounding machines and other pharmacy devices
- Able to troubleshoot the equipment and technology platforms/databases
- Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile)
- This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used
- Maintains - verifies - stocks - and replaces outdates in patient care area automated machines
- Monitors inventory needs in-patient care areas - relays this information to the appropriate Pharmacy personal
- This also includes placing stock in proper storage areas - rotating stock on shelves - and removing/replacing outdated items
- Assists with inventory management and ordering of medicines
- Performs all the duties of lower graded technicians - if required
- Work Schedule: Full-time - 7:00 am - 3:30 pm or 8:00 am - 4:30 pm - off tour assignments - subject to the needs of the service
- 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
