Career Center

Summary

A Pharmacy Technician serves Sheridan VA Healthcare System by assigned clinical duties and rotation through assignments in both inpatient and outpatient pharmacy - functioning independently within each area. The technician with this assignment has considerable responsibility for more complex functions with pharmacy service including inpatient medication preparation and distribution - sterile intravenous admixture preparation - automated equipment use and maintenance - and this is just to name a few.

Qualifications

***This is an open continuous announcement until July 16 - 2025. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available. *** 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: Be a citizen of the United States
• Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7407(a)
• Certification: For position 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)
• Grandfathering Provision: A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - including positive education and certification 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: 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician - GS-07 Experience: Candidates must possess one year (1) of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06)
• 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 floor/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 position above the full performance level - the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: PTCB as a CPhT
• OR NHA as a ExCPT
• GS-7 Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience for the GS-07 level - candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 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
• Preferred Experience: 1 - 3 years inpatient and/or outpatient pharmacy experience
• PTCB certification
• 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-07
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07
• Physical Requirements: This position provides services to patients and their families
• Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others
• Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain - corrective lenses permitted) - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - manual dexterity
• This position may require reaching above shoulder-level height and requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds)
• This position requires long periods of sitting - standing and walking
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs

Duties

• Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf Major Duties and responsibilities include - but are not limited to: Required to have principles - practices - concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
• Responsible for computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
• Resolves pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team - Veterans and external customers
• General Accurately interpret - fills - and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification
• 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
• Controlled Substances Activities: Appropriately restocks controlled substances items in automated secured cabinets (i.e. - Pyxis) - in pharmacy - or throughout the facility as assigned
• Documents all controlled substance related transactions as indicated by VA and DEA guidelines.
• Inpatient Pharmacy Activities(when assigned): Sterile Product Compounding Follow USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations - including ophthalmic - cardioplegic - TPN - hazardous - large & small volume IV solutions - PCAs - etc
• Manufactures uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume - small volume - infusion syringe or other as required
• Correctly interprets physician orders - selects - and measures appropriate ingredients - mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner - inspects the final product for accuracy - suitability - and elegance - labels the product - maintains records of the manufacturing process - and supplies the product for pharmacist verification and delivery
• Unit Dose Medication Management Performs review of medications prepared by another pharmacy employee to be dispensed to clinic areas
• Operates and maintains automated dispensing unit dose systems
• Automatic Replenishment/Ward Stock Correctly inventories - assesses - and determines the need for floor stock and external medication
• Follows established policies and procedures - schedules - inventory levels - and usage rate reports to determine appropriate stock levels for specific areas of use
• Outpatient Pharmacy Activities(when assigned):Prescription Assembly Assembles prescriptions properly with the correct drug - strength - quantity - auxiliary labels - and prescription labels
• for window dispensing and mail delivery Assures that the correct medication is filled by using bar code scanning on stock bottles
• Window Pick-Up Verifies that the patient receives the correct prescriptions by using VA software (i.e. - ScriptPro barcode scanning) Verifies the patient has received all prescriptions (i.e. - refrigerated - controlled substances - bulk medications - etc.) Mail Packaging Utilizes and comprehends the mail shipping programs used by the facility (i.e. - USPS - UPS - etc.) for overnight delivery of non-controlled and controlled prescriptions
• Performs searches - updates patient information - and generates shipping reports as requested by the supervisor
• Work Schedule: Varies with need of service
• 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 #: 59275-A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized