Pharmacy Technician (Outpatient)

Summary

This position is for a certified pharmacy technician above the full performance level GS-7 at the Veteran Health Indiana VA Healthcare Center. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level are nationally certified by PTCB or ExCPT and can work autonomously - using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. Pharmacy technicians above the full performance level can mentor and train lower grade technicians in the practice setting.

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: 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)
• Grade Determinations: Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS 6- Full performance)
• 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 Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs - in their resume: 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 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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

Duties

• Duties are limited but may include the following: Accurately interpret - fills - and readies prescriptions with appropriate medications for pharmacist verification Appropriately restocks controlled substances items in automated secured cabinets Documents all controlled substance related transactions as indicated by VA and DEA guidelines
• Assures that inventory counts are correct at the time of restocking
• Ensures that proper handoff occurs when receiving or delivering controlled substances - assuring that at all times these medications are never left unsecured
• Reports unresolvable discrepancies to immediate area supervisor for resolution
• Assist in investigating - witnessing - and resolving discrepancies
• Complies with all laws - regulations - directives - policies - and procedures applying to the dispensing - storage - transfer - inventory - and accountability of controlled substances
• Assists inspectors with the inventory and accountability inspections
• Assembles prescriptions properly with the correct drug - strength - quantity - auxiliary labels - and prescription labels
• Assures that the correct medication is filled by using bar code scanning on stock bottles
• Supports automation by manually completing prescriptions not processed through the automation dispensing machine
• Assures the timely completion of all prescriptions
• Verifies the patient's identification following the Medical Center's policies Verifies that the patient receives the correct prescriptions by using VA software Verifies that the patient has received all prescriptions Utilizes and comprehends the mail shipping programs used by the facility for overnight delivery of noncontrolled and controlled prescriptions Performs searches - updates patient information - and generates shipping reports as requested by the supervisor Calls patients to arrange delivery of refrigerated prescriptions and verifies patients address Packages prescriptions appropriately - as to assure that packages are not damaged within transit Utilizes VA software programs to check narratives and problem solve deliveries for patients with no physical address
• Work Schedule: Full Time
• Varied hours Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 93160-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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)