Pharmacy Technician

Full Job Description

This position is for a certified pharmacy technician above the full performance level GS-7 at the Orlando VA Healthcare System, specifically the Lake Baldwin Outpatient Clinic operating room, infusion, and outpatient pharmacy services.

Pharmacy technicians at this grade level are nationally certified by PTCB or ExCPT and can work autonomously, using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties.

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).

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.

Certification-Documentation Submitted: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: 4 (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).

Grade Determinations: Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Certification-Documentation Submitted:.

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 to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work.

Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent.

Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers. Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.

Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution.

Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases. 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.

Reference: VA Handbook 5005/159, Part II Appendix G-28 For more information on this qualification standard, please visit: https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is 7.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position.

May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.

May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Major Duties:

Duties: 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 optional 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 alike, 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.

Supporting the operating room and infusion needs of the Pharmacy service, including maintaining competency and actively compounding sterile products.

Ensuring stock is maintained in assigned areas utilized automated dispensing cabinets. Other duties, as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0700am - 3:30pm.

Employees may be required to work day, evening, night, weekend , holiday and or compressed tours on a rotating schedule.

The hours may vary per the needs of the service and will rotate, on a fair and equitable basis, to include weekends and holidays Telework: Not Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 81990F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized