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. Program 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

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Total Rewards Brochure: Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf This position is located within the Outpatient Pharmacy at Central Alabama Health Care System locations in Tuskegee and Montgomery. This position provides support to all pharmacy operations in a variety of settings. This includes patient care activities in the main outpatient dispensing pharmacy, phone center, outpatient clinic, administration area, or other area as assigned by the supervisor. The position includes independent judgement and team assignments as they relate to pharmacy services and the care of the Veteran. The medical center offers a full range of outpatient medical care services. These services include but are not limited to primary care, specialty care, geriatric care, emergency care, women's clinic, mental health, and many more. The outpatient pharmacy distributes acute and chronic medications or other direct patient care services unique to the VA health care model. Duties include, but are not limited to: Reads and interprets prescriptions from the veteran electronic health record systems (EHRS) or in written format. Reviews prescription orders for technical accuracy. Prepares medications and ensures the orderable item matches the item being dispensed about drug, strength, quantity, or appropriate supply item. Dispenses medications following all regulations, policies, and procedures for safe medication distribution. Uses Automatic Dispensing machines (ADM) to batch and label medications. Ensure ScriptTalk labels are batched if needed. Understands when to use other prescription labels with computer outages. Maintains highly sophisticated pharmacy equipment. This includes cleaning Troubleshoots equipment and databases when needed. Assists with automated or manual inventory processes that include but are not limited to inventory counts, medication ordering, stocking, checking for outdates, pulling outdates, pulling recalled medications, inspections or any other activity related to the supply of VA medications. Accurately interprets EHRM patient medication profiles. Can confirm prescription information in the Pharmacy computer packages. Able to execute refills or other technician duties within the pharmacy software. Accurately or updates patient information in the many pharmacy software. Accurately enters notes into the electronic health record using pharmacy templates or blank forms. Comprehends and participates in procurement activities, inventory management, narcotic dispensing, secure messaging, overnight mail, partial fills, window dispensing, administrative reports, prescription review, and incident reports as delegated by supervisor. Prioritizes workload to complete assignments on time. Maintains a safe orderly and clean working environment. 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. Maintains adaptability and flexibility for various emerging roles and responsibilities in the medication distribution system including new equipment, assignments, and changes in pharmacy workflow. Assists the pharmacist with problem solving patient care or medication issues. Assists in quality improvement projects as an individual or on assigned teams to improve pharmacy service. Trains developmental pharmacy technicians and students in the medication management system, controlled substances, pharmacy mail system, pharmacy dispensing and distribution systems. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Lakita Bush, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 55630F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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). 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). 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. Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician, GS-07. (1) Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. (2) Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee 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. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). 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 5005/159 PART II APPENDIX G28 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-7. Physical Requirements: Capable of sustained standing, walking, lifting and other procedures necessary to procure or delivery medications and supplies. The work involves long periods of moving, standing and pushing carts about the work unit. The requires regular and recurring bending lifting, stooping, stretching, and lifting.

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 Central Alabama VA Medical Center-Montgomery 215 Perry Hill Road Montgomery, AL 36109 US
• Name: Morgan Hogeland
• Phone: 205-933-8101 X412220
• Email: [email protected]