Summary
The incumbent practices as a Pharmacy Technician in the Inpatient Pharmacy of JMCAVAMC. This area serves adult and elderly Veterans needing care within the JMCAVAMC system 24 hours a day 7 days a week - nights - weekends - and holidays. Providing support for the hospital staff by reading and interpreting orders - obtaining the proper medication or material in the proper dose and strength.
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: 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 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)
- 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: GS-07 Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
- In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (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: None 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-07
- Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service.
Duties
- Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are limited to: Ensures all inventory automation equipment in the pharmacy service is properly refilled and utilized to maintain inventory controls
- Participates in ensuring the Operating Room is properly stocked for injectable - non-injectable and controlled substance medications
- Reads and interprets orders - obtains proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form - determines proper amount - and counts - pours - or measures the medications
- affixes proper label
- Operates and maintain complicated pharmacy equipment such as unit dose prepackaging machines - automatic dispensing machines - IV compounding machines and other pharmacy devices
- Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel with regard to drug distribution procedures and timeframes for delivery
- Assists with monitoring of refrigerator temperature daily in pharmacy service as needed
- 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
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm w/ rotating Weekends and Holidays - work hours are subject to change based on agency needs
- Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
- Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
- Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
- 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 #: 62044F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
