Summary Incumbents 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 floors/patients, filling medications for the pharmacist to review, checking for expired medications, answering phones with appropriate disposition, preparing sterile products and assisting with basic inventory. Tour of duty 4:00pm-9:30 2 days a week rotating weekends and holidays Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pd FUNCTIONS: Pharmacy Technicians assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. A. Medication Management: 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 medication; affixes proper label; and records required data on electronically or via the Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. After a final check by a pharmacist, dispenses medication in a clinic, ambulatory care, dispensing window or discharge situations. Replenishes emergency carts with a second view. Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvements purposes. Operates and maintains complicates pharmacy equipment. Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile) with a second review. This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measuring 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. Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution. Identifies basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention. Monitors refrigerator temperature daily in assigned areas. Conducts periodic ward inspection of clinic care areas and/or nursing medication rooms. Maintains, verifies, stocks, and replaces outdates in patient care area automated dispensing machines. Assists with inventory management, maintaining stock levels and ordering of medications. Properly handles medications by ensuring look-alike sound-alike, high alert, hazardous, refrigerated, and controlled substance medications are handled/stored appropriately and legally. Prepares medications that requires special handling and documentation. Assists in training of lower graded technicians and technician students. Performs all duties of lower graded technicians, if required. B. General Duties: As deemed necessary by the pharmacy technician supervisor, assists in other patient care areas to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. Provides pharmacy phone support with other departments and patients. Will maintain the medication storage areas for compliance in drug outdates for the correct storage of medication as per the Joint Commission requirements. CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: Meets the needs of customers while supporting the VA mission. Demonstrates good customer relation skills when addressing patients, their families and fellow employees. Does not cause problems or antagonize others through rudeness or lack of diplomacy. Personal interactions are free of valid complaints. Performance must show the ability to adjust to changes in workflow and the ability to function as a team member, helping the group effort where possible. Responds to customer inquiries in a helpful and timely fashion. If not able to remedy a situation, the employee is able to direct the opportunity to the appropriate resource. Promotes harmonious relationships within the work environment, which supports the needs of the team and the customers. Preferred Experience: 1 Year of Pharmacy Tech Experience, Call center/Clinical Contact Center experience, proficient at multi-tasking, utilizing medical electronic patient records, understanding of metrics that include abandonment rate and average speed of answer of calls . Top-notch customer service. Works well as a team member, proficient at troubleshoot patient concerns and judgement when to seek assistance with call. Work Schedule: Part-Time, To be Determined with Service Line. May include some nights and weekends. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:54806F Permanent Change of Station (PCS):Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications 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 technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English Certification. Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. Grade Determination (GS-6):Experience. One year experience at the next lower level (GS-5), and must fully meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) at the next lower level, which are: Ability to operate and care for automated dispensing devices and equipment. Knowledge of, and ability to perform, aseptic technique. Knowledge of basic inventory procedures. Knowledge of pharmacy information systems. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience/KSAs above, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: Ability to solve problems and make recommendations, e.g., troubleshoot operational problems and refer for appropriate action. Knowledge of the operation and care of automated equipment. Knowledge of, and ability to follow, written instructions for compounding with aseptic technique for hazardous materials such as oncology agents. Knowledge, and ability to perform, compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products. Knowledge of policies and procedures for inventory management in specialized areas such as emergency carts. Knowledge of the computerized prescription process demonstrated by the ability to input prescriptions and medication orders. NOTE: Your description of your work experience in your resume/CV must adequately demonstrate all required knowledge, skills, and abilities in order for you to be found qualified and referred for consideration. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G28 - Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standard. Physical Requirements: The position requires frequent walking and standing; repeated bending; moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds); the ability to read handwritten or @typed characters with or without glasses; ability to hear conversation voice with or without aid; and emotional and mental stability. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
