The GS-8 pharmacy technician serves and provides specialized functions in anticoagulation, controlled substances, automation and phones. The incumbent will rotate through anticoagulation clinic and will also have responsibility in any of the lower grade Pharmacy Technician tasks when not assigned to work in anticoagulation clinic.

Duties

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 Basic: Enhances Pharmacy quality improvement/quality control by participating in process action teams, reporting medication errors, and continually seeking ways to improve the service provided to customers. Compounds oral non-sterile medications; calculates and converts to proper weights and measures to assure accurate manufacture of final product; performs record keeping for compounding activities. Anticoagulation Administrative and Clerical: Provide clinic support through appointment scheduling, faxing and mailing, preparation of teaching materials, and filing. Schedule and link clinic consults to enrollment appointments for new patients in the anticoagulation clinic when prompted by a healthcare provide or staff or a Return to Clinic (RTC) order. Utilize and maintains the Recall Reminder, Electronic Waiting, and Veteran Choice. Maintains a working knowledge of scheduling and anticoagulation directives and terminology. Triage telephone calls from patients, family members, and/or caregivers to address a variety of issues, evaluate the problem, and provide an appropriate solution or refer the problem expeditiously to the pharmacist when the problem is beyond the technician's level of knowledge or expertise. Provide patient education on pharmacy topics including prescription refills, patient rights and responsibilities, and education. Evaluate and analyze the workflow to coordinate activities in support of clinical pharmacy specialists including notify the clinical pharmacy specialist when clinic access is limited or if an individual patient cannot be scheduled within the mandated time frame. Communicate effectively with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, schedulers, and other healthcare personnel Quality Improvement Evaluate and analyze data from clinic databases to generate periodic quality assessment reports for submission to the anticoagulation program manager Controlled Substance Duties Receives new stock and returned stock into inventory and ensures documentation into the electronic controlled substance package. Prepares and fills controlled substance outpatient orders from the central pharmacy vault utilizing the electronic controlled substances software and automated dispensing equipment. Independently conducts 72-hour, ATC, and biennial inventories. Participates and interacts with the Controlled Substance Inspectors when conducting the monthly-unannounced inventory. Prepares report for Pharmacy Supervisor and Controlled Substance Coordinator when discrepancies are identified. Analyses discrepancies to determine root causes and determines appropriate corrective action following established standard operating procedures. Prepares controlled substances for destruction, documents such activities in the electronic controlled substance package and interacts with contracted services to effect destruction. Independently provides controlled substance training for technicians, pharmacists, and inspectors; provides information to pharmacists and other pharmacy technicians regarding status of medication orders. Demonstrates knowledge of the laws, regulations and policies pertaining to controlled substances and follows all other pertinent state and federal regulations. Work Schedule: 9:30AM - 6PM or 10:30AM - 7PM, Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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 Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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). 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: Pharmacy Technician, GS-08 Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) and demonstrate the KSAs below. 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 the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated: (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.) Note: See Specialized Area.in the Definitions Section. (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. Preferred Experience: Two years of outpatient pharmacy experience, and experience with managing controlled substances. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 lbs.), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, standing, repeated bending, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, ability to distinguish basic colors, and mental and emotional stability. Environmental factors include, constant noise, extensive use of keyboard/mouse, working closely with others, and working alone.

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 Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 South Columbian Way Seattle, WA 98108 US
• Name: Gabriel Johnson
• Phone: (503) 220-8262 X53014
• Email: [email protected]