Summary
The VA St. Louis Health Care System is seeking a Pharmacy Technician for outpatient settings. The pharmacy technician is responsible for receiving - filling - and distributing outpatient prescriptions - participation in inventory control - and collections of data for statistical purposes. NOTE: 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:
- 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
- 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
- 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)
- 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)
- Grandfathering Provision: Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard 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-06 Education or Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower level
- Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition - 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
- (d) Knowledge of basic inventory procedures
- Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel
- Assignments: 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
- Preferred Experience: Previous outpatient pharmacy experience is preferred
- 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-6. Physical Requirements: None
Duties
- Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties Reads and interprets prescription orders - obtains proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form
- Determines proper amount of medication and counts - pours - or measures medication and affixes proper label
- Provides delivery of medications - supplies - or prescriptions within the facility
- Provides patient education on pharmacy topics such as requesting/refill process and drug information sheets
- Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile)
- Completes monthly quality assurance rounds as assigned
- Works with all pharmacy programs in VISTA - CPRS - and other databases
- Performs other duties as assigned
- Work Schedule: Full-Time - rotating day and weekend shifts - 0730-1800 Compressed/Flexible: Not Available 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) 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 #: 00000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
