The Cincinnati VA Medical Center is looking for a Pharmacy Technician (Automation) that functions as the automation specialist in all the patient care areas of pharmacy service with primary focus in both the inpatient and outpatient pharmacy service.

Duties

The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division. 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. Duties: Automation (Automated Dispensing, Outpatient, Inpatient) (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) Ensures that automated dispensing data is archived within established guidelines for each type of equipment. (4) 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. (5) 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. (6) Has oversight responsibility of the user files of all automated dispensing systems. (7) Has oversight responsibility for the addition of new items and deletion of obsolete items from all automated dispensing systems. (8) Ensures that equipment is cleaned and maintained in a timely manner as recommended by the manufacturer to minimize downtime (9) Trains and orients pharmacy staff, and other medical center staff involved in operating the automation. (10) Provides data for workload reports and process improvement projects to appropriate supervisors. (11) Thoroughly understands VA Pharmacy procurement and formulary and uses this knowledge to appropriately manage Pharmacy automation equipment. (12) Thoroughly understands investigational drug policies and procedures, if applicable, as they relate to Pharmacy automation equipment (13) Thoroughly understands controlled substance policies and procedures, including controlled substance inspection process, discrepancies and resolution. Other Duties (1). Inpatient services may include but not limited to such areas as aseptic admixture preparation including cytotoxic agents, automatic and on-demand ward stock replenishment, maintenance, and operation of automated prepackaging and dispensing equipment, assembly, and documentation of controlled substance requests, and properly packaging with documentation of single unit of use medications. (2). Outpatient services may include but not limited to outpatient prescription filling, pharmacy phone triage, window prescription dispensing, narcotic vault assignments, maintenance, and operation of automated prescription dispensing equipment, and packaging of mail out prescriptions. (3) Assists as deemed necessary by the pharmacy supervisors, in any patient care area (including inpatient and outpatient pharmacy) to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. (4) Assists in the quality management of Pharmacy Service by participating in process action teams and continually seeking ways to improve the service provided to patients and other customers. (5) Maintains clean and orderly work areas by keeping stock and equipment in assigned places and all counters free of debris for optimal work environment in accordance with good manufacturing practices. (6) Ability to interact with facility personnel and our Veteran customers in a professional manner that promotes proper rapport and insures the highest level of customer service and patient care. (7) Ability to recognize and solve problems, makes recommendations to avoid potential problems, and refers appropriate concerns to Procurement Technician or supervising Pharmacist. (8) Is expected to protect patient sensitive information, electronic and print in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, Federal Regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, may require occasional tour changes for operational purposes. Telework: N/A Functional Statement # 92142-A Compressed Schedule: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407. 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). 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). Grade Determinations for the GS-8 (1) Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below. (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. (3) 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS8. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances within the medical center, lifting/carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies, and bending/stooping/stretching.

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 Cincinnati VA Medical Center 3200 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH 45220 US
• Name: Michelle GradyCagle
• Phone: 513-557-8818
• Email: [email protected]