Career Center

Summary

This role supports the Pharmacy Service Line - Inpatient areas of the Salem VA Medical Center - serving adult and elderly Veterans 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The Pharmacy Technician read and processes medication orders - ensures the correct dose and medication are prepared - and works closely with the Pharmacist to package and deliver prescriptions. Duties include inventory - stocking - sterile compounding - controlled substance handling and maintaining accuracy under general supervision.

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
• Certification: For position above the full performance level - the employee 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)
• Grandfathering 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: Pharmacy Technician - GS-07 Experience: Candidates must possess one year (1) of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06)
• Pharmacy technicians at the full performance level may fill orders - dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs
• Duties will include delivery of medications to floor/patients - filling medications for the pharmacist to review - checking for expired medications - answering phones with appropriate disposition - preparing sterile products (when applicable) and assisting with basic inventory management such as putting up stock and identifying when medications need to be ordered
• Certification: For position 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 NHA as a ExCPT
• GS-7 Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience for the GS-07 level - candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 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
• Preferred Experience: 1 -3 years inpatient pharmacy experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position provides services to patients and their families
• Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others
• Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain - corrective lenses permitted) - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - manual dexterity
• This position may require reaching above shoulder-level height and requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds)
• This position requires long periods of sitting - standing and walking
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major Duties to Include: Automatic Replenishment/Ward Stock Accurately fills prescription items for wards using Automatic Replenishment reports
• Performs and documents an inspection of assigned hospital areas for medication storage
• Removes all expired and deteriorated drugs from the automated dispensing stations - stocks shelves and the unit dose automated dispensing systems
• Unit Dose Medication Management Inventories and replenishes emergency trays/kits/boxes
• Assures repackaged dosage forms are labeled according to USP and VA standards and attains a final review by a pharmacist
• Controlled Substances Activities Appropriately restocks controlled substance items in automated dispensing cabinets throughout medical center - as assigned
• Sterile Product Compounding Correctly interprets physician orders - selects and measures appropriate ingredients - mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner - inspects the final product for accuracy - suitability and elegance - labels the product - maintains records of the compounding process - and supplies the product for pharmacist verification and delivery Medication Management System: 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
• Functions as first-line telephone contact for nursing units - nurses and providers
• Addresses telephone requests in a timely and courteous fashion - processing - for example missing doses - stat deliveries - etc
• Work Schedule: Full Time- Rotating Shifts to include days - evenings - weekends and holidays Compressed: Available 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 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) 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
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized