Pharmacy Technician

Full Job Description

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.

How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

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.

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).

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 GS-6, such as but not limited to: filling orders, dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs.

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.

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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice.

(b) Knowledge of preparation, storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation.

(c) Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment. (d) Knowledge of basic inventory procedures.

(e) 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-07.

Physical Requirements: This position requires prolonged standing and walking with a moderate amount of stooping, reaching and lifting, and pushing and pulling.

A technician may be required to lift, push/pull up to 40lbs. A dispensing system may be used for varying lengths of time.

Pharmacy technicians may be required to work irregular tours, weekends, and the holidays as assigned. Major Duties:

Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: General: Accurately interpret, fills, and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification.

Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition by assuring that all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris in order to create optimal work areas.

Assures drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including the storage of high-risk, look a-like sound a-like, hazardous, controlled substances, corrosive chemical, flammable liquids, and refrigerated items.

Receives, checks, rotates, and places in stock all items received from pharmacy procurement section and identifies and reconciles any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received.

Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely the supervisor as appropriate.

Records expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt.

Perform monthly inspections to assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to expired drugs are removed. Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements.

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 for final pharmacist verification.

Manufactures products requiring compounding, whether made in large batches for more than one patient or in small batches to fill a single prescription or drug order.

Correctly interprets physician orders, selects, and measures appropriate ingredients, mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner, inspects the final product for accuracy, labels the product, maintains records of the manufacturing process, and attains a final check by a pharmacist.

Uses standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each batch prepared.

Proficiently operates equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines in the routing of manufacturing pharmaceutical products.

Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution.

Identifies basic therapeutic problems, such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention.

Assists in training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students.

Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non-professional staff members.

Demonstrates the ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality. Performs duties of all lower grade technicians as needed.

Participate in performance improvement initiatives for pharmacy. Assists in quality improvement activities by participating in assessment and action teams that will improve service as assigned.

Assists higher level technicians as needed. Completes all National, VISN, local, and Pharmacy mandatory trainings in a timely manner. Maintains national certification with PTCB or ExCPT.

Complies with all VHA, Medical Center, and Pharmacy regulations, directives, policies, and procedures.

May be assigned to work in other areas of pharmacy service as deemed necessary by the Chief, Pharmacy Service or Supervisor.

Controlled Substances Activities: These functions will be supported in the absence of the controlled substance technician (i.e., after hours, weekends, and leave).

Accurately interpret, fills, and readies prescriptions with appropriate medications for pharmacist verification.

Appropriately restocks controlled substances items in automated secured cabinets (i.e., Pyxis) in pharmacy or throughout medical center, as assigned.

Documents all controlled substance related transactions as indicated by VA and DEA guidelines. Assures that inventory counts are correct at the time of restocking.

Ensures that proper handoff occurs when receiving or delivering controlled substances, assuring that at all times these medications are never left unsecured.

Reports unresolvable discrepancies to immediate area supervisor for resolution. Assist in investigating, witnessing, and resolving discrepancies.

Complies with all laws, regulations, directives, policies, and procedures applying to the dispensing, storage, transfer, inventory, and accountability of controlled substances.

Assists inspectors with the inventory and accountability inspections. Work Schedule: 2 shifts available: 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Telework: Not available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.