Summary Inpatient Pharmacy Technicians working intermittent schedule may fill orders, dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs. Responsible for 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 management. Responsibilities 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 medications; affixes proper label; and records required data on electronically or via the Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. 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 order. Distributes medications to inpatient nursing areas, critical care areas, surgical areas, and assigned clinics after final verification by another qualified technician or a pharmacist. Independently compounds sterile products using aseptic technique for final review by a pharmacist. Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile) without a second review. This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used. Prepares medications that require special documentation and/or handling. Inventory Management: Conducts periodic ward inspections of inpatient nursing areas, surgical areas, and assigned clinic care areas medication storage rooms and locations. Maintains, verifies, stocks and replaces outdated medications in patient care area automated dispensing machines and central pharmacy areas Ensures that proper stock rotation is maintained in the central pharmacy and in assigned patient care areas. Properly handles medications by ensuring high alert, hazardous, refrigerated and controlled substance medications are handled/stored appropriately and legally. Monitors refrigerator temperatures in assigned areas. Inventories and replenishes emergency medication carts and kits. Assists in receiving, checking and stocking medications and supplies. Pre-packages medications in unit of use or unit dose packaging following all necessary labeling and recording polices and procedures. Pharmacy Automation: Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy automation equipment. Operates all necessary pharmacy software systems. Performs troubleshooting steps and reports any failures in pharmacy automation equipment to pharmacy administration. Work Schedule: rotational - intermittent Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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 probationary 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 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. You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d) Education or Experience: None required. 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. Grandfather Provision. A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. GS-06 Pharmacy Technician (Full Performance Level) - Experience/Education Requirement: 1. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-06 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05). 2. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is 6. Physical Requirements: The work requires the regular and recurring use of a computer monitor and prolonged periods of sitting. However, based on the secondary duty assignments, the work may require regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, walking, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 40 pounds and bending/stooping. Education Additional Information 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.
