Pharmacy Technician

Full Job Description

The VA St. Louis Health Care System is seeking a pharmacy technician for the John Cochran division.

The pharmacy technician is responsible for receiving, filling, and distributing prescriptions, preparing inpatient medications and sterile dosage forms, operating pharmacy automated and manual equipment, as well as conducting inventory control.

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.

Certification: 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) ,OR, National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

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).

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

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: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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.

Preferred Experience: Training and experience in compounding sterile products.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This position is above the full performance level.

Physical Requirements: None Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties Performed Reads and interprets prescription 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; and records required data to appropriate system.

Prepares inpatient drug orders including all dosage forms such as intravenous admixtures, oral solids, etc., according to established procedures and protocols.

Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment per pharmacy policies and procedures and manufacturer guidelines. Compounds and/or reconstitutes non-sterile oral or external medications.

This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used. Inventories and replenishes assigned inpatient and outpatient care areas.

Provides patient education on pharmacy topics such as the requesting refill process and drug information sheets. Relays questions requiring professional judgment to the pharmacist.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Rotating Shifts (including nights and weekends) 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 off per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) 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 #: 000000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized