Pharmacy Technician (Inpatient Pharmacy Technician) position is for a certified pharmacy technician above the full performance level GS-7 at the Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level are nationally certified by PTCB or ExCPT and can work autonomously, using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. Pharmacy technicians above the full performance level can mentor and train lower grade technicians in the practice setting.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Pharmacy Technician (Inpatient Pharmacy Technician) Duties include but not limited to: Unit Dose: Maintains a knowledge of regulations, policies, and procedures regarding medication dispensing and possesses the ability to follow them to ensure safe medication distribution. Maintains a thorough working knowledge of the unit dose packaging automation, including use of the automation equipment, general service issues, quality assurance, and appropriate cleaning and servicing requirements. Possesses the ability to troubleshoot and assists in resolving any identified problems. Manually prepackages and labels any medications not packaged by the unit dose automation with accuracy in preparation for the pharmacist's check. Ensures that all unit dosed liquids, tablets or dispense units are complete with Manufacturer, Lot #, Expiration date, and readable barcode, according to policies, and have been verified by a pharmacist prior to dispensing. Fills new orders for pre-exchange items, bulk items, and missing doses timely and with accuracy. Delivers pre-exchange doses to wards and clinics in a timely manner. Enters pick list and ward stock into VISTA computer system daily and additional doses sent as needed. Maintains a working knowledge of trade, chemical and generic names, drug formulations, pharmacy and medical terminology in order to accurately interpret physician's orders. Answers telephone calls in the inpatient area and answers questions/assists in resolving pharmacy /medication issues as appropriate, or directs the call to the pharmacist or other appropriate person. Assumes an active role in the unit-dose portion of experiential learning for students, externs, interns, and residents. Complies with USP 800 standards for Handling of Hazardous Drugs. IV Medications/Sterile Products: Maintains knowledge of appropriate aseptic technique and USP 797 regulation, policies and, procedures, and applies this knowledge when preparing and dispensing compounded sterile preparations. Fills IV orders with accuracy and in a timely manner. Performs cleaning of the IV hoods and other clean room areas as appropriate. Assigns appropriate beyond-use dates to all prepared products, in compliance with USP 797 and local policies. Maintains proper storage of sterile preparations and properly labels sterile products with appropriate auxiliary labels. Maintains a thorough working knowledge of the IV label printer. Ward Stock: Maintains a thorough working knowledge of the Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs) (i.e., Omnicell) located on the wards and clinics, including use of the automation and required policies and procedures for stocking the automation. Possesses the ability to troubleshoot and assists in resolving any identified problems. Responsible for restocking the correct item in the correct automated dispensing equipment location with the correct expiration date. Labels vials and IV bags accurately and with correct auxiliary stickers, e.g. High Alert, Do Not Use After, etc. Delivers ward-stocked medication items to the appropriate wards and clinics in a timely manner when needed or requested to maintain adequate stock for patient care. Outpatient Prescriptions: Maintains a working knowledge of the ScriptPro system in order fill, label, and batch prescriptions. Fills and batches outpatient prescriptions for the pharmacist to check as needed when outpatient pharmacy is closed. Emergency Carts: Maintains a working knowledge of the stocking of crash carts and emergency medication boxes. Utilizes approved crash cart list to fill crash cart trays to be checked by the pharmacist. Makes sure that filled crash cart medication trays are available at all times and crash carts are promptly restocked. Miscellaneous Assists supervisor with assigned quality assurance and performance improvement projects and initiatives. Assists procurement clerk to ensure appropriate inventory and ordering as medications are used daily, including checking for expired medications as assigned. Trains and mentors new pharmacy technicians, as well as pharmacy students and pharmacy technician students. Work Schedule: Varies based on the needs of the Service Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 581-24044 F Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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). Education or Experience: (1) None required. (2) For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify, equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying. The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Certification: For positions 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 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: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation (2) 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. (3) 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. (4) Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status. (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements. Pharmacy Technician, GS-07Grade Determination: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of GS-06. Specialized Experience: 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 floors/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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) for the Level of GS-07: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work. (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent. (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers. (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students. (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution. (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases. References: VA Handbook 5005 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07 Physical Requirements: Employees are typically expected to work forty hours per week. This may include nights, weekends and/or holidays as assigned. Principle duties require repetitive use of hands and fingers (e.g., use of computer keyboards, etc.). May require lifting and a carrying moderate loads (up to 44lbs.), including boxes and equipment; stooping or kneeling (e.g., to pick up items from the floor, remove and replace items on lower shelves, and to file documents in lower file drawers, etc.); sitting, walking, or standing for long periods of time (4-8 hours). Normal ranges of hearing and vision are required to perform work and communicate effectively; must have the visual ability to distinguish between basic colors and shades of color. An ability to perform tasks requiring rapid mental and muscular coordination functions simultaneously is necessary. Incumbent must be physically capable of operating various types of equipment used for the job. Must be able to work closely with others.

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 Huntington VA Medical Center 1540 Spring Valley Drive Huntington, WV 25704 US
• Name: Chelsea Montgomery
• Email: [email protected]