Pharmacy Technician

This position requires a certified highly specialized technician who performs a variety of complex skills and functions in the preparation of hazardous and non-hazardous sterile medications. Provides high quality patient centered care utilizing technician knowledge to ensure safe effective and efficient medication therapy.

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:

• Basic Requirements:
• A. Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• B. English Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• C. Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
  1. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR
  2. National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
• D. Grandfathering Provision: 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: In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must meet the following grade requirements.

Experience Requirement. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level of GS-7.

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).

• Creditable Experience. To be creditable, a candidate must possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the scope of pharmacy technician practice. The candidate's experience must be evidenced by active professional practice. (Active professional practice means paid/nonpaid employment as a professional pharmacy technician.)
• Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example, one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of half-time work.
• Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy technician experience at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated:

• Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.) Note: See Specialized Area.in the Definitions Section.
• Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
• Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

Preferred Experience: 1 yr experience Inpatient, Compounding, HemOnc

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 8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is 8.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

Responsibilities:

The duties related to this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of sterile product preparation and shortage. Able to work independently to compound complex hazardous as well as other high-risk medications.
• Communicates on a regular basis with the oncology pharmacists and at times nurses in the clinic to reduce medication waste.
• Assists with training pharmacy staff and students with aseptic technique, dispensing all hazardous and non-hazardous sterile products.
• Independently selects the proper additive and diluent solution to prepare a final product as ordered.
• Incorporates understanding of mathematical calculations required to add the correct volume of medication.
• Has oncology pharmacy complete check of prepared sterile product prior to patient infusion for accuracy.
• Maintains current knowledge of USP 797/800 and ensures compliance with all VA policies and procedures, Joint Commission that relate to sterile medication preparation.
• Maintain the compounding sterile area equipment are cleaned and maintained in good operation. Records refrigerator temperatures, humidity, air pressures and temperature daily. Ensures required cleaning of each sterile area is completed on a daily/ monthly basis as required by VA policy and procedure. .
• Maintain inventory and rotation of all stocked items in the oncology pharmacy on a monthly basis to ensure decrease waste (cost containment).

Work Schedule: Mon-Fri: Between 7:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

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)

Functional Statement #: 09692-F

Salary : $417