Pharmacy Technician

Description:

The Pharmacy Technician will assist the pharmacist in pharmacy distributive functions at the VA SORCC covering the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP) and Outpatient Clinic Programs, maintain patient profiles, ensure proper processing and storage of pharmaceuticals and perform required monthly surveillance of medication storage areas located outside the pharmacy.

Requirements:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Basic Requirements: Citizenship. 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 Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Education or Experience: (1) None required. (2) 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: 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). Grandfathering Provision: Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard 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: (1) 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. (2) 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. (3) 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. (4) 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. (5) 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 for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-06 Experience: In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, you are required to possess at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-05), which demonstrates the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. KSAs described at the next lower grade level include: knowledge of basic pharmacy operations, knowledge of pharmaceuticals to perform duties in pharmacy functional areas, knowledge of pharmaceutical nomenclature (including generic, chemical, and proprietary names of drugs), ability to fill prescriptions, and ability to use pharmacy information systems or basic pharmacy dispensing equipment with oversight. In addition to the experience 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G28

Preferred Experience: Although not required, preferred experience with technical knowledge of drug and medication brand names, generic names/chemical names, general and special storage requirements, expiration date requirements, manufacturer/distributor sources, can identify basic therapeutic problems, such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class or instructions.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-06.

Physical Requirements: Work is performed in a highly mechanized warehouse setting around production machinery. Moderate noise and traffic require attention to safety. Some work areas involve a moderate risk requiring exercise of safety precautions when operating or working around the automated equipment (i.e., accumulators, moving belts, etc.). Wearing gloves is mandatory when handling specific medications. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 50 lbs. and bending/stooping/reaching.

Hazardous Drugs The incumbent may be exposed to hazardous drugs in final dosage form at this workplace, particularly in areas where routine pharmacy tasks, such as handling stock bottles, opening bottles to count tablets or capsules, preparation of prescriptions for dispensing, waste disposal, and spill response are performed.