The Pharmacy Technician (Automation Coordinator) position functions as the automation specialist in all the patient care areas of pharmacy service at Salisbury VA Health Care System with primary focus in both the inpatient and outpatient pharmacy service throughout multiple locations. This position is performed above the full performance level, higher-level duties. The incumbent must have expert understanding of the complexity of The Automation Program.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Automation (Automated Dispensing, Outpatient, Inpatient) Coordinates the technical aspects of pharmacy drug distribution activities to ensure standard operating procedures are in alignment with automation capabilities so that efficiencies are maximized. Evaluates and analyzes workflow and coordinates all work activities involved with Pharmacy automation throughout multiple facilities. Ensures that automated dispensing data is archived within established guidelines for each type of equipment throughout all facilities. Coordinator Tasks Ensures that the organization's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values are communicated to the team and integrated into the team's strategies, goals, objectives, work plans, work products, and services. Ensures that all team members participate in planning for achievement of team goals and objectives. Represents the team in meetings and dealings with other team leaders, program officials, the public, and other customers on issues related to the team's objectives, work products and/or tasks. Other Duties Serves as back up to other Pharmacy technicians, inpatient and outpatient pharmacy technicians throughout all locations as needed. Inpatient services may include but not limited to such areas as aseptic admixture preparation including cytotoxic agents, automatic and on-demand ward stock replenishment. Services may include but not limited to outpatient prescription filling, pharmacy phone triage, window prescription dispensing, narcotic vault assignments, maintenance, and operation of automated prescription dispensing equipment, and packaging of mail out prescriptions. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, subject to the needs of the service. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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. None Required. 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). Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR 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: 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Current superuser level knowledge of Omnicell and ScriptPro products or similar. Pharmacy Technician - Automation Coordination, GS-9 Specialized Area. Areas within pharmacy that require advanced knowledge, skills and abilities to ensure a high level of accountability for patient safety, quality of care and/or VHA or other regulatory requirements. Examples include, but are not limited to compounding sterile products, controlled substance dispensing, research, automation, clinical informatics, quality assurance, hazardous medication compounding/management, immunizations and clinical pharmacy assignments. Pharmacy Technician - Automation Coordinator: Pharmacy technician coordinators perform the full range of program coordination in their specialized area of pharmacy. These positions require independent technical judgement and expertise in complex areas of pharmacy practice that have specific laws, significant regulatory requirements and quality/safety standards. They organize, coordinate and manage single or multiple programs under the delegation of pharmacy supervisors or Associate Chiefs. Pharmacy technicians at this level must have expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for the complex program area and manage all aspects of compliance with these standards with limited input from pharmacy supervisor(s). Pharmacy technicians at this grade level may be assigned as a coordinator in areas requiring detailed regulatory oversight and record keeping including, but not limited, to the Controlled Substance Program, Research/Investigational Drug Program, Procurement, Automation & Informatics program, Quality/Patient Safety, Clinical or Call Center. Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following: (a) Expert knowledge serving as a key resource advising others in their particular specialty area or section of the pharmacy (such as procurement, sterile compounding (USP compounding standards), controlled substances DEA, automation, clinical pharmacy, lead tech, contact center, etc.). (b) Skill in analyzing data for self-driven (independent) performance improvement projects, workload analysis and statistical reports. (c) Skill in solving problems and implementing corrective actions to maximize outcomes in their program area. (d) Ability to maintain special accreditations and prepare for national reviews/inspections (e.g., The Joint Commission, Inspector General, American Society of Health System Pharmacists®, controlled substance inspections). (e) Ability to develop training programs and material for orientation, competency development and educational needs for regulatory requirements within the specialized pharmacy program area. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/159 PART II APPENDIX G28 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-9 Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances within the medical center, lifting/carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies, and bending/stooping/stretching.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address WG Bill Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center 1601 Brenner Avenue Salisbury, NC 28144 US
• Name: Mark Johnson
• Phone: 318-272-2896
• Email: [email protected]