Pharmacy Technician

Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding • Brockton, Massachusetts, USA • 1d ago

Summary

This Pharmacy Technician position is located in the Pharmacy service at the VA Boston Healthcare System (three vacancies at West Roxbury - MA - and one vacancy at Brockton - MA).

Qualifications

COVERAGE. The following are requirements for appointment or placement as a Pharmacy Technician in Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The requirements will apply to all VHA pharmacy technicians employed in the General Schedule (GS) 0661 series performing a variety of pharmacy duties under the supervision of a pharmacist. Under the supervision of a pharmacist - pharmacy technicians perform routine pharmacy functions including filling - preparation and dispensing of prescriptions - sterile compounding preparation - management of automated dispensing equipment (ADE) - inventory management and multiple types of customer contact services. Advanced pharmacy technicians serve in specialized roles within the pharmacy department and are often involved with program management of their specialty area. These roles include - but are not limited to - pharmacy technicians who specialize in controlled substance management - sterile compounding - inventory/ budgeting/purchasing - automation - informatics - quality management - research - clinical and call center. Lead and supervisory pharmacy technicians are also advanced roles in this series. Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of settings in VHA.

Basic Requirements:

a
Citizenship
Be a citizen of the United States
b
Education or Experience
(1) None required
(2) 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
c
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)
d
Physical Requirements
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service
e
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 GRADE DETERMINATIONS
In addition to the basic requirements for appointment - VA HR staff must use the following criteria to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates
Pharmacy Technician - GS-07
(1) Experience
Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
Pharmacy technicians at the GS-06 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
(2) 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
(3) 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
(4) 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
Preferred Experience: Inpatient pharmacy
compounding of hazardous and non-hazardous
automation such as Omnicell
Former VA Handbook Reference: PART II APPENDIX G28 Effective Date: November 07 - 2023 DEFINITIONS
a
Creditable Experience
To be creditable - a candidate must possess the required knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the scope of pharmacy technician practice
The candidate's experience must be evidenced by active professional practice
(Active professional practice means paid/nonpaid employment as a professional pharmacy technician.) b
Part-Time Experience
Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week
For example - one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of half-time work
c
Quality of Experience
Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy technician experience at the next lower grade level
For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
d
Specialized Area
Areas within pharmacy that require advanced knowledge - skills and abilities to ensure a high level of accountability for patient safety - quality of care and/or VHA or other regulatory requirements
Examples include - but are not limited to compounding sterile products - controlled substance dispensing - research - automation - clinical informatics - quality assurance - hazardous medication compounding/management - immunizations and clinical pharmacy assignments
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
Physical Requirements: Principle duties of this position require repetitive use of hands and fingers (e.g. - preparing prescriptions - use of a computer keyboard - etc.)
May require lifting and carrying light loads - including boxes - equipment - medical supplies - stock boxes etc.
stooping or kneeling (e.g. - to pick up items from the floor - remove and replace items on lower shelves - and to file documents in lower file drawers - etc.)
sitting - walking - or standing for long periods of time (4-8 hours)
Ability to operate automation
Must be able to wear personal protective equipment - including respirators while on duty
Must be physically capable of operating various types of equipment used for the job.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Incumbent provides a variety of services at multiple points of care
Additional duties include various administrative and/or clinical work and assignments as assigned by the pharmacy supervisor
Inherits all position requirements - competencies - functions - duties - and assignments listed within the GS-03 - GS-04 - GS-05 - and GS-06 functional statements
Independently manages and completes all competencies and position requirements
Oversees operation and care of specialized pharmaceutical equipment
Troubleshoots and coordinates pharmacy equipment service requests and provides communication of activities and updates to the pharmacy team
When assigned - acts as the subject matter expert and/or administrator for various systems - services - programs and/or equipment
When assigned - collects and maintains records of staff training - competencies - logs and other records
Prepares various reports on a regular basis for supervisor
Oversees compliance and coordination of procurement - reverse distribution - and formulary processes and programs
Assists with initiating and maintaining all required drug file and inventory changes to resolve and improve patient care needs
When assigned - provides support for Investigational Drug services
Complies with investigational drug policies and procedures
Independently gathers - evaluates - and analyze data to generate reports and/or for other projects/statistical purposes
Evaluates - analyzes workflow
When assigned - coordinates technician work activities and scheduling
Independently reviews - understands - and complies fully with all policies - procedures - handbooks - and other guidance
Understands sufficiently to train and educate new employees and existing staff
When assigned - assists the supervisor with administrative assistance and service requirements - record management - and other administrative assignments
When assigned - assists with interviewing potential candidates for employment
Provides and coordinates educational programs to train staff and patients
When assigned - serves as pharmacy vault technician
Conducts daily control substance inventory
Fills all controlled substance prescriptions
Mails controlled substance prescriptions
Maintains controlled substance inventory levels in coordination with Pharmacy Inventory Manager
Stocks vault shelves and rotates existing inventory
Segregates expired controlled substance inventory for disposition with reverse distributors
Maintains Emergency Drug Cache inventory
Maintains Explosive cabinet inventory
Maintains all controlled substance filing and record management including DEA 222 - CSOS Records - Inspections - Reverse Distribution and all other required files and documents
Manages continuous review of all controlled substance product expiration and disposition/removal
Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of controlled substance policies and procedures
When assigned - initiates investigation into vault discrepancies with supervision from pharmacy supervisor or designee
Assists police and other services with investigations
When assigned - independently orders medical supplies as per prescription information in Vista as well as external ordering mechanisms
Performs all duties and functions listed in the GS-03 - GS-04 - GS-05 - and GS-06 Pharmacy Technician Functional Statements
Performs all other duties as assigned by the supervisor
Work Schedule: Varied tours of duty to include evenings
rotation of holiday and weekend required
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
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)
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 #: 523-F02993 Pharmacy Technician GS-0661-07 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized