The VA Cheyenne Health Care System is hiring for one Pharmacy Technician (Clinical Specialty).
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: None Required. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT.) OR National Healthcare Association (NHA ) as an Exam of the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT.) Loss of Credential: An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. For occupations which require an active credential (required licensure/certification/registration) at all grade levels, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists. 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).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: Pharmacy Technician GS-8 Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7), which includes but is not limited to: Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work; Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent; Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans, and external customers; Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students; Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution; and Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases. AND Knowledge, Sills, 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.) Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper polices and procedures. Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy. Basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement, distribution and storage requirements to maintain a safe working environment. This includes, but is not limited to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) requirements and regulations. Ability to assist in determining and modifying as necessary: ordering intervals, inventory levels and cost-effective ordering quantities from required sources based on current financial conditions in pharmacy, seasonal variations in drug usage, changing patterns in medical practice, delivery time requirements and urgency of medical need. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-28, Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standard, GS-661-08 The full performance level of this vacancy is 08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08. Physical Requirements: Refence VA Directive and Handbook 5019
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Pharmacy technicians in this assignment specialize in areas such as sterile compounding, oncology, controlled substances, medication history review, clinical specialist anticoagulation, clinical informatics, automation, care in the community and any other specialized area in the advancement of the profession . The pharmacy technician will serve as a subject matter expert and key resource in the day-to-day technician duties of the specialized area. The technician will be performing assignments such as compounding sterile products, filling controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining compliance with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations, taking medication histories and counseling patients, managing automation, managing workflow participate in performance improvement initiatives and training and orienting staff in the specialized area. Other duties include but may not be limited to: Reads and interprets prescriptions, determines patient eligibility for prescriptions written by non-VA provider, and Inputs non-VA prescriptions into VistA for clinical pharmacist verification. Effectively enters consults in CPRS, manages faxes and calls outside providers for clarification when needed. Pharmacist is available at any time for consultation. Assists Clinical Pharmacists with referrals of non-VA prescriptions for non-formulary review and/or consideration by Primary Care team. Manages incoming fax folder ensuring proper upload for patient record. Assures all aspects of controlled substance compliant with VHA and Federal guidelines. Functioning as resource person to all members of the medical center regarding controlled substance procedures, inventory status, and control. Processes outdated, unusable, and excess controlled substance inventory for return to a third-party distribution company for credit and/or trackable destruction. Ensures controlled substance inventories are completed per VHA Handbooks. Notifies Chief, Pharmacy Service immediately of any controlled substance discrepancies. Incumbent research all discrepancies and works with the Chief, Pharmacy Service to report and/or resolve all issues. Serves as Pharmacy representative during controlled substance inspections. Prepares controlled substances orders for double-check by a pharmacist as assigned. Maintains controlled substance inventory in the VistA controlled substance package and through the Pyxis vault system ensuring all additions and subtractions are correct, appropriate, and reviewed and signed-off by the Chief, Pharmacy Service Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 7:30AM-4:00PM 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) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. 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 #: PD591350