Summary

The Pharmacy Technician will assist the pharmacist in providing optimal care and timely service in accordance with the mission - vision - and goals of the Alexandria VA Healthcare System and Pharmacy.

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
• (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
• 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)
• 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: Pharmacy Technician - GS-07
• 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 (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS07
• 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
• Work Environment: work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
• the area is adequately lighted - heated and ventilated
• However - the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties for the position include (but are not limited to): 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 United States Pharmacopeia (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 quality assurance 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
• 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 higher level technicians as needed
• 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 Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - rotating 8-hour shifts between 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
• Including nights - holidays - and weekends - subject to change based on the needs of the facility
• 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 #: 502-00738-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized