Job Description

Summary

This position is for a certified pharmacy technician at VA Northern Indiana Health Care System. 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. The employee will assist the pharmacist in providing optimal care and timely service in accordance with the mission - vision - and goals of VA Northern Indiana Health Care System Pharmacy Service.

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
• 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)
• 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: Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles - practices - concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
• (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
• (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team - Veterans and external customers
• (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students
• (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations - policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution
• (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06
• Physical Requirements:
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf General Accurately interpret - fills - and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification
• Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition by assuring that all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris in order to create optional work areas
• Assures drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines - including the storage of high-risk - look a-like sound a-like - hazardous - controlled substances - corrosive chemical - flammable liquids - and refrigerated items
• Receives - checks - rotates - and places in stock all items received from pharmacy procurement section and identifies and reconciles any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received
• Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures
• Reports automation malfunctions timely the supervisor as appropriate
• Records expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt
• Perform monthly inspections to assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to expired drugs are removed
• Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements
• Controlled Substances Management These functions will be supported in the absence of the controlled substance technician (i.e. - after hours - weekends - and leave)
• Accurately interpret - fills - and readies prescriptions with appropriate medications for pharmacist verification Appropriately restocks controlled substances items in automated secured cabinets (i.e. - Pyxis) in pharmacy or throughout medical center - as assigned
• Documents all controlled substance related transactions as indicated by VA and DEA guidelines
• Assures that inventory counts are correct at the time of restocking
• Inpatient Pharmacy Sterile Product Compounding: Follow USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations - including ophthalmic - cardioplegic - TPN - hazardous - large & small volume IV solutions - PCAs - etc
• Manufactures uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume - small volume - infusion syringe or other as required
• Correctly interprets physician orders - selects - and measures appropriate ingredients - mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner - inspects the final product for accuracy - suitability - and elegance - labels the product - maintains records of the manufacturing process - and supplies the product for pharmacist verification and delivery
• Unit Dose Medication Management: Performs review of medications prepared by another pharmacy employee to be dispensed to hospital areas
• Inventories and replenishes emergency trays
• Operates and maintains automated dispensing unit dose systems
• Automatic Replenishment/Ward Stock: Correctly inventories - assesses - and determines the need for floor stock and external medication
• Follows established policies and procedures - schedules - inventory levels - and usage rate reports to determine appropriate stock levels for specific areas of use
• Accurately fills prescription items for wards using Automatic Replenishment reports
• Performs and documents an inspection of assigned hospital areas for medication storage
• Removes all expired and deteriorated drugs from the automated dispensing stations - stocks shelves - and the unit dose automated dispensing systems
• Outpatient Pharmacy Activities Prescription Assembly: Assembles prescriptions properly with the correct drug - strength - quantity - auxiliary labels - and prescription labels
• for window dispensing and mail delivery 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
• Window Pick-Up: Verifies the patient's identification following the Medical Center's policies (i.e. - double patient identifiers) Verifies that the patient receives the correct prescriptions by using VA software (i.e. - VISTA and barcode scanning) Mail Packaging: Utilizes and comprehends the mail shipping programs used by the facility (i.e. - USPS - FedEx - UPS - etc.) for overnight delivery of non-controlled 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
• Work Schedule: 8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m. - M -F - some weekends and holidays Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Functional Statement #: 92011-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

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