Career Center

Summary

RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE MAY BE AUTHORIZED FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE. The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This position functions primarily in Pharmacy Service and the patient care areas within the VA Health Care System. As an employee - you will operate in a model with three core elements - seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/05/2025. Pharmacy Technician

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 Healthcareer Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• 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: (1) 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
• (2) 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
• (3) 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
• (4) 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
• (5) 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
• Foreign Education: To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service
• 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)
• Grade Requirements Pharmacy Technician: GS-06 Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• The candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice
• Knowledge of preparation - storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation
• Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment
• Knowledge of basic inventory procedures
• Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel
• AND 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: 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
• Pharmacy technicians at the full performance level may fill orders - dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs
• Duties will include 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
• References: VA Handbook 5005/15 - Part II - Appendix G28 The full performance level of this vacancy is 7
• Physical Requirements: The work requires physical exertion such as reaching - standing - walking short and long distance - and climbing to obtain product from moderately high shelving
• Occasionally may need to lift up to 40 pounds
• The majority of work requires extended periods of standing with short periods of sitting to complete tasks
• The work environment involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical in a pharmacy setting
• Employees may be required to use personal protective equipment such as masks - gowns - goggles - gloves - and shoe covers and hair covers to minimize risks
• You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf 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
• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Reads and interprets prescriptions - 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 on Pharmacy's paper or electronic copy of prescription/order
• Prepares compounded sterile preparations inclusive of chemotherapy - IV additive solutions - and performs bulk compounding
• After a final check by a pharmacist - dispenses medication in ambulatory care or discharge situations
• Delivers medications to patient areas following established procedures and maintains the medications in a secure manner during the delivery process
• Repackages medications for use in outpatient or inpatient pharmacy following established procedures and maintains all required documentation
• Assists with inventory management and ordering of medicines
• Completes monthly medication inspections as assigned
• Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes as required
• Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment After prescription/order(s) are reviewed by a pharmacist for therapeutic propriety - reviews orders for technical accuracy and converts the order - if necessary - so that the item dispensed corresponds to the drug and dose ordered
• 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
• Work Schedule: Rotating shifts - weekends and holidays
• Duty hours will be discussed during the interview
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified candidates
• 2-year service agreement is required
• 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 #: Pharmacy Technician-Inpatient/Outpatient #000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized