Career Center

Summary

This position functions primarily in the Inpatient care areas and the Pharmacy Service within the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). This area serves adult and elderly Veterans needing care within VAPAHCS 24 hours a day 7 days a week - nights - weekends - and holidays. The technician rotates through selected sections and is assigned to a rotating tour of duty schedule in the Inpatient Pharmacy Section.

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: None required
• Certification: For positions 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 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)
• Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician - GS-07 Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6) GS-6 level experience includes: Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice
• Knowledge of preparation - storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation
• Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment
• Knowledge of basic inventory procedures
• Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel
• 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 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
• Preferred Experience: Inpatient Pharmacy Technician work experience in an acute care hospital setting - including sterile IV preparations (piggyback - large volume - TPN - chemotherapy - etc.)
• 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-07
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting - 15-44 pounds
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (3 hours)
• Standing (4 hours)
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Depth perception
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Hearing (aid permitted).

Duties

• VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) has an immediate opening for an Inpatient Pharmacy Technician at the Palo Alto Division
• Technicians will work various shifts - including a rotation of weekends and holidays
• Shift assignments typically fall into one of three categories: day - evening and overnight
• This Pharmacy provides pharmaceutical care services to our 300-bed acute care hospital division (Intensive Care Units - OR/Recovery Room - Medicine - Surgery - Sub-Acute Medicine/Long Term Care - Hospice - Spinal Cord Injury - Polytrauma - Psychiatry - Emergency Department) with centralized operation for Unit Dose - Ward Stocking and Sterile Compounding medication preparation and dispensing
• We have a fully integrated computer system including online provider order entry - documentation of medication administration using barcode technology - and automation of the unit dose distribution system
• This technician will assist in providing distributive pharmacy services to patients at the Palo Alto Acute Care Division
• Duties and responsibilities include - but not limited to: Unit Dose Responsibilities: filling and delivering new - STAT or missing medication orders
• restocking point of care machines (Omnicell)
• utilizing cartless delivery system for patient medications
• replenishing crash cart medications and kits
• repackaging bulk items (oral solids and liquids)
• replenishing pharmacy automation (Omnicell XR2 - Med Carousel - Yuyama - Omnicell and Anesthesia Works Stations)
• performing optimization of automation
• and conducting monthly ward/clinic inspections
• Sterile Compounding Responsibilities: preparing IV admixtures - piggybacks - syringes - TPN - and chemotherapy doses based on patient specific orders using sterile technique in the laminar flow hood in accordance with USP <797> and USP <800>
• performing all necessary pharmaceutical calculations
• and cleaning and restocking the IV room
• Work Schedule: Variable - including weekends/holidays 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) 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 available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 09936F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional