This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

The pharmacy technician provides specialized functions in anticoagulation, controlled substances, automation, and phones. The incumbent will rotate through the anticoagulation clinic and is responsible for any lower grade pharmacy technician tasks when not assigned to work in anticoagulation clinic. The technician must demonstrate independent technical judgment, as well as comprehensive and thorough working knowledge of the most complex or difficult practices and procedures. The incumbent must independently gather, evaluate, and analyze patient specific information per established protocols, and discern when to bring problems to the attention of the assigned pharmacist. Basic Duties, Roles, and Responsibilities: Receive, inventory, and dispense medications (including controlled substances) and ensure accurate and complete record keeping, maintaining security and integrity of controlled substances. Assist patients on the phone or at the window. Fill and pack prescriptions for mail out. Stock shelves and automation, operate and provide simple daily maintenance to automated dispensing equipment. Compound oral non-sterile medications: calculate and convert to proper weights and measures to assure accurate manufacture of final product; perform record keeping for compounding activities. Anticoagulation Clinic: Schedule and link clinic consults to enrollment appointments for new patients in the anticoagulation clinic when prompted by a healthcare provide or staff or a Return to Clinic (RTC) order. Schedule clinic follow-up appointments when prompted by a RTC order. Maintain a working knowledge of anticoagulation directives and terminology. Triage calls from patients, family members, and caregivers to address a variety of issues. Evaluate the problem and provide an appropriate solution or refer the problem expeditiously to the pharmacist when the problem is beyond the technician's level of knowledge or expertise. Provide patient education on pharmacy topics including prescription refills, patient rights and responsibilities, and education. Evaluate and analyze workflow to coordinate activities in support of clinical pharmacy specialists and notify the clinical pharmacy specialist when clinic access is limited or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled. Understand and apply Medical Center policies and procedures. Interact directly with patients and family members to support clinic activities. Communicate effectively with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, schedulers, and other healthcare personnel. Receive and triage lab results faxed from the community. Notify pharmacist of issues related to prescription duplication, medication compliance, allergies or adverse reactions, and INR's out of therapeutic range which are identified through patient communication or medical record review. Notify the pharmacist when complications to anticoagulation therapy are identified, including bleeding or thromboembolic events or when a patient reports changes to medications or significant changes to diet or health status. Quality Improvement: Monitor clinic records for patients who fail to show for scheduled appointments and initiate reminders to ensure continuum of care. Evaluate and analyze data from clinic databases to generate periodic quality assessment reports for submission to the anticoagulation program manager. Controlled Substance Duties: Receive new and returned stock into inventory and ensure documentation into the VistA controlled substance package. Prepare and fill controlled substance outpatient orders from the central pharmacy vault utilizing the VistA controlled substances software and automated dispensing equipment. Participate and interact with the Controlled Substance Inspectors when conducting the monthly-unannounced inventory. Report and document any discrepancies for the Pharmacy Supervisor and Controlled Substance Coordinator. Analyze discrepancies to determine root causes and determine appropriate corrective action following established standard operating procedures. Prepare controlled substances for destruction and document activity in the VistA controlled substance package and interact with contracted services to effect destruction. Demonstrate knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to controlled substances and follow all local, VACO and DEA requirements, and other pertinent state and federal regulations. Work Schedule: Mon - Fri, 9am to 5:30pm with occasional weekends and holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected] Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.). Education or Experience. A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience. Certification. Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacy Technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). GRADE DETERMINATIONS: GS-7. Experience. One year experience at the next lower level, and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: The candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*). a) *Ability to evaluate, analyze workflow, and coordinate work activities. b) Ability to independently gather, evaluate, and analyze data to generate reports and/or for other projects/statistical purposes. c) Knowledge of pharmacy policies and procedures sufficient to train and orient new employees and other staff. d) Comprehensive knowledge of the operation and care of specialized pharmaceutical equipment. e) Comprehensive knowledge of the procurement and formulary process. f) Comprehensive knowledge of investigational drug policies and procedures. g) Comprehensive knowledge of controlled substance policies and procedures, and the ability to identify and investigate discrepancies in these policies and procedures. h) Comprehensive knowledge of, and ability to, analyze data in VA information systems. Preferred Experience: 1 to 2 years of Outpatient Pharmacy experience preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G28, March 17, 2006. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: The work requires moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds), reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers, standing (up to 6 hours), repeated bending (up to 2 hours), near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, the ability to distinguish basic colors, and mental and emotional stability. Work involves exposure to constant noise and extensive keyboard/mouse use. Must be able to work alone and work closely with others.

Education

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP). If selected for this position, you are encouraged to apply for EDRP within four (4) months of appointment and must meet specific individual eligibility criteria in accordance with VHA Policy 1021. Final award amount and program start date is determined after review of a complete EDRP application, supporting documentation, and final approval by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected]

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Joe Julkowski
• Phone: 509-434-7382
• Email: [email protected]