This position is for a certified pharmacy technician above the full performance level at the James A. Haley VA Hospital (JAHVA) and Clinics. The incumbent at this grade level is nationally certified by PTCB or ExCPT and can work autonomously, using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. The incumbent above the full performance level can mentor and train lower grade technicians in the practice setting.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws FUNCTIONS OR SCOPES OF PRACTICE Accurately interpret, fills, and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification. Assures drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including the storage of high-risk, look a-like sound a-like, hazardous, controlled substances, corrosive chemical, flammable liquids, and refrigerated items. Receives, checks, rotates, and places in stock all items received from pharmacy procurement section and identifies and reconciles any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received. Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely the supervisor as appropriate Records expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt. Perform monthly inspections to assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to expired drugs are removed. Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements. Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile). This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used for final pharmacist verification. -Correctly interprets physician orders, selects, and measures appropriate ingredients, mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner, inspects the final product for accuracy, labels the product, maintains records of the manufacturing process, and attains a final check by a pharmacist. -Uses standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each preparation. -Proficiently operates equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines in the routing of manufacturing pharmaceutical products. Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution. 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 training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students. Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non professional staff members. Demonstrates the ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality. Performs duties of all lower grade technicians as needed. Participate in performance improvement initiatives for pharmacy. Assists in quality improvement activities by participating in assessment and action teams that will improve service as assigned. Assists higher level technicians as needed. 2 Complies with all VHA, Medical Center, and Pharmacy regulations, directives, policies, and procedures. GENERAL DUTIES: 1. Maintains PTCB and/or ExCPT Certification. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. 2. Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition by assuring that all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris in order to create optimal work areas. 3. Utilizes all automation available to the pharmacy staff according to the most current guidelines, following all safety and QA procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely through appropriate channels (help desk, supervisor, ADPAC) as appropriate. 4. Maintains the ability to drive a government vehicle for transportation of medications, supplies, and other pharmacy-related materials, as deemed necessary. 5. The incumbent will provide training on clinical procedures to new staff as necessary. 6. Assists other team members in various job-related duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. Work Schedule: Various Tours of Duty including weekdays, weekends, and holidays per the needs of the Pharmacy Service. Functional Statement #: 71157F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

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 and Grade Determinations: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower 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 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: 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. Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Pharmacy technicians at this level are nationally certified and can work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. They assist advanced/specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives. At this level, pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy. They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy, including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations, with minimal oversight. To qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements. Please select the appropriate response as it pertains to your qualifications for the following questions. 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. Preferred Experience: Certified Pharmacy Technician with inpatient pharmacy and/or outpatient pharmacy IPP/OPP experience to include: pharmacy automation such as Pyxis, ScriptPro, Talyst, etc.; controlled substance laws and regulations; and knowledge of USP_797 and USP_800. 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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is ABOVE the full performance level, as a GS7. Physical Requirements: Physical Demands: The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the duties of this position. 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 50 pounds) of supplies, bending/stooping, pushing/pulling/stretching, and driving government vehicles. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

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 James A Haley Veterans Hospital 13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Tampa, FL 33612 US
• Name: Karen McKee
• Phone: 352-548-6000 X105242
• Email: [email protected]