Pharmacy Technician - CSP Oncology/Automation Pharmacy Technician The Compound Sterile Product (CPS) Oncology Automation Pharmacy Technician is a highly specialized technician, who will perform a variety of complex functions in the preparation of chemotherapeutic agents. Most duties will be performed in the oncology IV sterile compounding suite of pharmacy.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to: a. Performs essential role in preparation, compounding, dispensing, and distribution of sterile and nonsterile hazardous medication within designated sterile compounding areas. b. Receives, reviews, and prepares physician order for cytotoxic agents and pre-medication. c. Performs accurate product identification labeling dosage calculation, and compounding of agents by utilizing package literature, written procedural guidelines and application of specialized knowledge. d. Successfully complete assignments and maintain annual competencies to compound hazardous and non-hazardous IV sterile preparations according to USP and standards. e. Follows proper aseptic preparation techniques when compounding hazardous and non-hazardous medications. f. Reviews anticipated inventory needs and notifies procurement technician in a timely manner of products required. g. Assists in maintaining all required records related to sterile compounding. h. Receives hazardous IV chemotherapy inventory stock according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines placing in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves, and removing/replacing outdated items. i. Maintains Chemo/IV room medication inventory, compounding supplies and cleaning product to ensure availability and minimize waste. j. Conducts daily, weekly, and monthly IV room cleaning to include check for soon to expire medications. k. Manufactures uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume, small volume, infusion syringe or other as required. l. Assists in the central IV sterile suite as needed. m. Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of USP 795/797/800 chapters and hazardous drug handling to assist in management, compliance, staff education activities, training, and room certifications. n. Participates in glove fingertip and media fill testing, maintain competences passing didactic practical skill assessment initially and annually thereafter. o. Assists in airborne particulate and microbial testing and surface testing to ensure cleaning schedules are met. p. Ensures full compliance with all regulatory requirements (VHA, Joint Commission, USP , EPA, OSHA, NIOSH, and FDA). q. Assists in maintaining a training/education manual for the focus area assigned. r. Provides training to new or existing staff so that these competencies are maintained. s. Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow independently in the assigned area. t. Performs all the duties of lower grade technicians, if required. Automation (Automated Dispensing, Outpatient, Inpatient) a. 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. Incumbent is instrumental in recommending changes for the improvement of the workflow, work methods, and priorities involved within the drug distribution system. b. Evaluates and analyzes workflow and coordinates all work activities involved with pharmacy automation. This will involve trouble shooting, regularly gathering data, analyzing, and interpreting VA data and formulating action plans. c. Ensures that automated dispensing data is archived within established guidelines for each type of equipment. d. Ability to participate in process actions teams to improve automation quality and safety, continually seeking ways to improve the service provided to patients and other customers. e. Resolves problems and complaints regarding all pharmacy and automated dispensing automation, troubleshoots problems with all automated dispensing equipment when production is compromised and alerts appropriate personnel. f. Ensures that equipment is cleaned and maintained to minimize downtime. g. Trains and orients pharmacy staff, and other medical center staff involved in operating the automation. h. Provides data for workload reports and process improvement projects to appropriate supervisors. i. Thoroughly understands VA Pharmacy procurement and formulary and uses this knowledge to appropriately manage pharmacy automation equipment. j. Thoroughly understands controlled substance policies and procedures, including controlled substance inspection process, discrepancies, and resolution. k. Attends regulatory meetings regarding all automation and provides learned knowledge to the pharmacy staff. Work Schedule: Full-time Telework: If approved, will be on an ad-hoc basis. 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

All requirements must be met by the close date of this announcement. 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. 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: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). 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). 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). Grade Determinations: GS-8 Pharmacy Technician Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-7. This experience includes, but is not limited to: 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. AND Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: PTCB as a CPhT. OR NHA as a ExCPT. AND Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs. (a) Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.). (b) Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures. (c) Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/159 PART II APPENDIX G28 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. 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. 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 but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (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 and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. (5) 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.

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 VA Black Hills Health Care System 113 Comanche Road Fort Meade, SD 57741 US
• Name: Adam Abbott
• Phone: 612-629-7067
• Email: [email protected]