The incumbent serves as a Pharmacy Technician in an outpatient pharmacy as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The outpatient pharmacy technician will provide and support assigned administrative/clinical activities. The pharmacy technician will support operational aspects of the pharmacy automated dispensing equipment in the outpatient pharmacy including applicable training of new staff. Clinical activities/functions shall be completed in accordance with approved pharmacy protocols.

Duties

A. Works collaboratively with Pharmacy Service programs, services, and interdisciplinary coordinated care team members to provide medication dispensing and care while meeting the needs of Veterans, their family members, and/or legal representatives via various available contact modalities to include but not limited to telephone calls regarding a broad range of topics, including medication refills/renewals, basic billing inquiries, and procedural pharmacy activities. B. Routinely reviews computer medication profiles for therapeutic duplication, prescription non-compliance and allergies/drug interactions. Transfers identified patients to a pharmacist for further evaluation if needed. C. Works in collaboration with the pharmacist to process and submit patient requests for new prescription orders and renewals (including controlled substances) accurately, thoroughly, and in a timely manner. Incumbent uses approved Pharmacy Service protocols when appropriate to satisfy patient medication requests. D. Assists the pharmacist with documentation of medication variances when necessary E. Seeks assistance from a pharmacist when responding to unusual questions or when reasonable attempts to satisfy a veteran's needs have been unsuccessful. F. Actively and diligently treats all veterans with respect and utmost dignity. Seeks to problem-solve all veterans concerns. When required the incumbent will refer to other VA resources to assist in maintaining customer satisfaction. G. The pharmacy technician will remain competent with outpatient pharmacy-related automation by providing technical support and maintaining the ability and proficiency to operate all automated equipment necessary for daily pharmacy operations in the outpatient pharmacy areas. The technician can provide troubleshooting measures for applicable equipment prior to reaching out to BioMed for assistance. H. Maintains National Pharmacy Technician Certification I. Participates in Pharmacy Service quality assurance initiatives with a strong focus in error detection/prevention and patient wait times/satisfaction surveys. J. Completes other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications

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: A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Certification: Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/ registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/ registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) at all grade levels, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) in assignments above the full-performance level only, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may remain at an appropriate lower grade level in the occupation when both of the following apply: the credential is not a requirement and a placement opportunity exists." 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). Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation 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 required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such 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 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. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician GS-6Experience: 1 year at or equivalent to the next lower, and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level (GS-5), which include but are not limited to: Ability to operate and care for automated dispensing devices and equipment; Knowledge of, and ability to perform, aseptic technique; Knowledge of basic inventory procedures; and Knowledge of pharmacy information systems. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to meeting the KSAs for the GS-5 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs Ability to solve problems and make recommendations, e.g., troubleshoot operational problems and refer for appropriate action Knowledge of the operation and care of automated equipment Knowledge of, and ability to follow, written instructions for compounding with aseptic technique for hazardous materials such as oncology agents Knowledge, and ability to perform, compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products Knowledge of policies and procedures for inventory management in specialized areas such as emergency carts Knowledge of the computerized prescription process demonstrated by the ability to input prescriptions and medication orders References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/15 PART II APPENDIX G28The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.Physical Requirements: 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.

Education

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 Louis A Johnson VA Medical Center 1 Medical Center Drive Clarksburg, WV 26301 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]