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

Most duties will be performed in a sterile compounding room; duties include setting up sterile products for dispensing, ensuring complete documentation of compounds, reviewing IV administration records, as well as assisting inspectors, review teams, and other staff during routine inquiries and inspections. Makes regular physical inventory of stock items, notifying the procurement clerk of quantities on hand and advises as to ordering trends, shortages, outdated merchandise, in inventory machines as well as chemo storage room, etc. Specialized duties: A) Sterile Product Compounding (1) Prepares or compounds sterile products both non-hazardous and hazardous for pharmacist review. (2) Applies rigid aseptic techniques in preparing pharmaceutical admixtures. (3) Ensures daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning and disinfecting is completed and logged according to regulatory requirements. (4) 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, ensures complete record keeping of the manufacturing process and supplies the product for delivery. B) Hazardous drug compounding and related responsibilities (1) Applies rigid aseptic techniques with hazardous substance precautions in preparing hazardous solutions and utilizes gravimetrics when possible. (2) Ensures daily and monthly cleaning and disinfecting is completed and logged according to regulatory requirements. (3) Labels and packages each hazardous drug according to local SOP and USP 800 requirements. (4) Maintains aseptic technique and hazardous drug technique utilizing closed system transfer devices (CSTDs) during compounding. (5) Uses negative pressure compounding techniques when CSTD's cannot be used to avoid hazardous drug contamination and exposure. (6) Maintains hazardous drug inventory in an organized manner. Orders and ensures stock levels are appropriate for future scheduled orders. C) Other IV related duties: (1) Demonstrates proficiency in minimizing microbial contamination by strictly adhering to proper hygiene, garbing procedures and aseptic technique. (2) Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment. (3) Will successfully complete and maintain initial and ongoing competency training prior to due dates, including gloved fingertip, media fill testing, etc. (4) Monitors engineering controls in the sterile compounding areas. Addresses and reports engineering control excursions promptly to management and the engineering department. (5) Laminar flow hoods Properly cleans all surfaces of hood and maintains clean area throughout preparation process. Appropriately maintains all quality assurance and cleaning and disinfecting logs in accordance with regulatory requirements. (6) TPN Sterile Compounding Machine Utilizes proper technique in compounding Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPNs) solutions and appropriately calculates and measures substrate solutions for creating TPN and other base solutions. (b) Correctly calibrates compounder prior to starting TPN (7) Pharmacy Compounding Program

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. 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. Experience. One year of post-secondary education, or 6 months of general experience, or student technician - a student enrolled in an approved nationally accredited pharmacy technician program for an occupation identified in 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(A) or (B) may be appointed on a temporary full-time, part-time or intermittent basis under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(D) for a period not to exceed two years or the duration of the individual's program, or combination of education and experience. 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. Certification. Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT) is required at grades GS-6 and above. Grade Determinations: GS-07 Experience. One year experience at the next lower level GS-06 and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower lower level. Demonstrated 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. Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/15 PART II APPENDIX G28 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-06 to GS-07. Physical Requirements: The work involves long periods of moving, standing and pushing carts about the work unit. The work requires regular and recurring bending, lifting, stooping, stretching, lifting. The incumbent must be a mature, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, demonstrating cheerfulness, compassion, courtesy and concern for staff and patients. Must possesses math skills in order to convert medications to the correct dosing.

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 VA SALT LAKE CITY HCS 500 Foothill Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84148 US
• Name: Jonathan Smith
• Phone: 3076753529
• Email: [email protected]