This position functions primarily in the inpatient care areas and the Pharmacy Service within the VA Medical Center. The incumbent practices as a Pharmacy Technician in the Inpatient Pharmacy of Charles George VA Medical Center. This area serves adult and elderly Veterans needing care within the Charles George VAMC system 24 hours a day 7 days a week, nights, weekends, and holidays.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Pharmacy Technician duties includes but are not limited to the following: Reads and interprets prescriptions, obtains proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form, determines proper amount and counts, pours, or measures the medications; affixes proper label; and records required data on Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. After a final check by a pharmacist, dispenses medication in ambulatory care or discharge situations For unit-dose medications, performs final review of medication when prepared by another technician, to be dispensed to inpatient areas (med-carts, ward stock), and/or fills unit-dose carts independently without secondary review when necessary. Inventories and replenishes emergency carts with appropriate medications and supplies. Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes as required. Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment such as unit dose prepackaging machines, automatic dispensing machines, IV compounding machines and other pharmacy devices. Able to troubleshoot the equipment and the technology platforms/databases. Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile). IP This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used. After prescription/order(s) are reviewed by a pharmacist for therapeutic propriety, reviews orders for technical accuracy and converts the order, if necessary, so that the item dispensed corresponds to the drug and dose ordered. Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution procedures and timeframes for delivery. Identifies basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention. Assists in total quality improvement activities by participating in medical center and service process assessment and action teams, continually seeks to improve services. Conducts ward inspections of patient care areas. Maintains, verifies, stocks, and replaces outdates in patient care areas and the areas' automated dispensing machines. Ensures all look alike, sound alike, high alert, refrigerated medications are stored properly according to manufactures recommendations and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requirement. Monitors inventory needs in-patient care areas, relays this information to the appropriate Pharmacy personal. This also includes placing stock in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves and removing/replacing outdated items. Maintains a training/education manual for the focus area assigned. Provides training and mentorship to new or existing staff. Monitors refrigerator temperature daily in pharmacy service. Assists with inventory management and ordering of medicines and supplies. Performs all the duties of lower graded technicians, if required. Understands requirements of USP 795, USP 797, USP 800, disposal of hazardous materials, safe medication distribution and electronic prescription processing. Using aseptic technique, compounds both complicated and uncomplicated parenteral admixtures in the form of large volume, small volume, infusion syringe or IP another modality as required. Prepares sterile ophthalmic preparations and other complex sterile pharmaceuticals such as total parenteral nutrition and cardioplegia solutions. Consistently displays competence with good aseptic technique manufacturing practices through demonstration and/or actual work performance. 24) Technical working knowledge of equipment and supplies used in compounding sterile products including but not limited to admixing pumps, needles, syringes, and various compounding supplies, etc. Ensures that the IV cleanrooms are cleaned daily, and appropriate logs are completed for daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning. Participates in glove fingertip and media fill testing, maintain competences passing didactic practical skill assessment initially and annually thereafter Work Schedule: 40 hours per week: Mon-Fri 0600-1430 Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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). Certification: 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 Health-Career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). 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). Grandfather Provision. A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification 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. Grade Determinations: GS-7 Experience: In addition to Basic Requirements candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, in addition to meeting the demonstration 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. Certification: Must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:(a) PTCB as a CPhT. OR(b) NHA as a ExCPT. Preferred Experience: Maintaining safe, accurate, and efficient inventory across all WNCVAHCS automated medication dispensing cabinets. Monitoring inventory needs for patient care areas, replenishing medications including properly rotating stock to reduce waste, and ensuring outdated stock is removed from patient care areas in accordance with facility policy. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G28, dated November 7, 2023. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-7. Physical Requirements: The position requires frequent walking and standing; repeated bending and prolonged sitting; moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds); the ability to read handwritten or typed characters with or without glasses; ability to hear conversation voice with or without aid; and emotional and mental stability.

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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Hilda Cobb
• Phone: (919) 408-1864
• Email: [email protected]