Pharmacy Technician (Inpatient)

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.

01Basic 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: You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d) Education or Experience: a. None required. b. 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 (GS-07 and above): For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: a.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). (MUST PROVIDE A COPY OF CERTIFICATION) OR b. National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). (MUST PROVIDE A COPY OF CERTIFICATION) 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).

02Grade Determinations

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-07 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06) Federal or Non Federal. GS-7 Level: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical 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.

03Certification

PTCB or NHA certification is required at this grade level and above.

04Preferred Experience

Inpatient-Prior inpatient pharmacy and compounding experience. 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 .

05Physical Requirements

Work is performed primarily in the inpatient pharmacy and outpatient care areas, where there is a potential for exposure to communicable diseases. Such areas are adequately heated and ventilated, and safety precautions are required. In some cases, dealing with anti-neoplastic drugs may expose the incumbent to hazardous and toxic agents. The incumbent works with drugs/chemicals and must exercise precautions to avoid accidental contact to the skin, eyes, and lungs.

The incumbent is responsible for the filling, dispensing, procurement, storage, preparation, review, distribution, and control of medications/other pharmaceutical products to patients, inpatient and outpatient treatment units, and research investigators. The work product directly affects the health of inpatients and outpatients.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPES OF PRACTICE: Reads and interprets prescriptions, obtains proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form, determines proper amount and counts, pours, or measures the medications; affixes proper label; and records required data on Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. After a final check by a pharmacist, dispenses medication in ambulatory care or discharge situations.

For unit-dose medications, performs final review of medication when prepared by another technician, to be dispensed to inpatient areas (med-carts, ward stock), and/or fills unit-dose carts independently without secondary review when necessary. Inventories and replenishes emergency carts with appropriate medications and supplies. 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.

After prescription/order(s) are reviewed by a pharmacist for therapeutic propriety, reviews orders for technical accuracy and converts the order, if necessary, so that the item dispensed corresponds to the drug and dose ordered. Monitors inventory needs in-patient care areas, relays this information to the appropriate Pharmacy personal. This also includes placing stock in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves and removing/replacing outdated items.

Understands requirements of USP 795, USP 797, USP 800, disposal of hazardous materials, safe medication distribution and electronic prescription processing. Performs sterile compounding of parenteral medications, including hazardous and chemotherapy hazardous medications when deemed necessary for patient care. Successfully passes compounding personnel competency requirements and performs duties in compliance with departmental/facility SOPs and USP 797 and USP 800 standards.

General Duties: As deemed necessary by the pharmacy supervisor, assists in other patient care areas (including outpatient pharmacy services) to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. However, primary assignments of work schedule and tours would involve inpatient pharmacy services.

Inpatient services may include such areas as aseptic admixture preparation including cytotoxic agents, automatic and on-demand ward stock replenishment, maintenance and operation of automated prepackaging storage and dispensing equipment, assembly and documentation of controlled substance requests and properly packaging with documentation of single unit of use medications.

Procurement Stock and Maintenance: Utilize appropriate inventory measures such as just-in-time, usage rates, stock levels, contract adherence, return of expired medications, and inventory turns to limit medication waste and comply with all applicable policies. Manage different stock items within and outside of pharmacy automation and alerts appropriate personnel for reordering purposes or of any issues with restocking.

Responsible for appropriately restocking various assigned stations satisfactorily prior to shift end.

06Education

Ensure that all facility mandatory training/requirements (e.g., fire and safety, prevention of sexual harassment, customer service and prevention of violence in the workplace) are accomplished within established timetables including proper documentation of compliance in appropriate filing system. Participate in the training of other pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, PGY-1, and PGY-2 residents at Edward Hines Jr, VA Hospital.

Administration/Technical Support: Open and sort main distributing contents to appropriate areas and packages mail according to mailing system utilized. Plan and complete tasks based upon established protocols, standard operating procedures, individual instructions, and/or accepted pharmacy practices. Perform clerical or other functions as requested.

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Work Schedule: Full Time Monday - Friday; 2:00pm-10:30pm. (rotating weekends and holidays off tours as needed for patient care needs) Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position.