Summary
This position is in the Pharmacy Services at the New York Harbor Healthcare System in Manhattan. This position is responsible for delivery of medications to floors/ patients - filling medications for the pharmacist to review - checking for expired medications - answering phones - preparing sterile products and assisting with basic inventory management. The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.
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:
- Pharmacy Technician Basic Requirement To qualify for appointment to this position - all applicants must possess the following: Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
- 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 (GS-07 and above): 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)
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
- 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 licensure/certification/registration 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: Pharmacy Technician - GS-6 The full performance level for this qualification standard is the GS-06 grade level
- GS-06 Pharmacy Technician (Full Performance Level) - Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-06 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05)
- Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
- In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice
- Knowledge of preparation - storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation
- Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment
- Knowledge of basic inventory procedures
- Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel
- 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-06
- The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-06 to
- Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
Duties
- VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Provides pharmacy phone support with other departments and patients
- Will maintain the medication storage areas for compliance in drug outdates for the correct storage of medication as per the Joint Commission requirements
- Pharmacy technicians may be assigned to any area of the pharmacy including expanded distributive function assignments
- for example - assignment as team leaders for specific process improvement teams involving technical areas or performing more highly complex duties including preparation of IV/oncology agents for clinical pharmacy specialists
- Functions in all areas of the pharmacy department (inpatient - outpatient - etc.) - provides support to the pharmacist and pharmacy service operations that include but not limited to: answering calls
- answering questions with regards to drug distribution
- completely preparing unit dose cassettes for distribution to the wards
- interpreting all prescribed drug orders
- screening completely into the computer system
- preparing orders carefully - accurately and completely according to the policies and regulations Ability to perform basic mathematical skills in order to calculate dosages - prepare complex solutions and make appropriate adjustments in the ingredients of the compound preparations based on quantity needed
- Incumbent utilizes his/ her knowledge of all types of expressions of concentration - calculates and converts to proper weights and measures all medications necessary
- Independently works in all activities of this centralized intravenous admixture service - where he/ she receives and reviews physician's order forms and is responsible for the preparation of all products prepared in the I.V
- Room
- Work in a clean environment
- in a Laminal Flow Clean Air Hood/Aseptic Compounding isolator
- Primary function of working in the IV room will involve careful measurement and strict adherence to aseptic technique during the preparation process
- Responsible for arranging prepared individual I.V
- medications into bags or boxes - based upon the day's orders - being extremely accurate in putting the right medications - in the right strength - in the right amount - for the right patient on the right ward
- Incumbent is responsible for delivering the checked medications to the proper ward areas - quickly and accurately Pharmacy technician may be assigned to perform other functions/ activities as deemed necessary by Pharmacy Management based upon operational or patient needs
- Monitors refrigerator temperature on a daily basis in the pharmacy and remotely via temperature monitoring software
- As assigned will perform ward inspections and assist with resolution of identified issues
- Work Schedule: Variable 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)
- 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 #: 21X74A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
