Pharmacy Technician - Inpatient

Duties include but not limited to: 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; affixes proper label; and records required data on Pharmacy's copy of the prescription order.

For unit-dose medications, performs final review of medication when prepared by another technician, to be dispensed to inpatient areas (med-carts, ward stock), and/or fills unit-dose carts independently without secondary review when necessary. Compounds and/or reconstitutes sterile IV medications.

This includes completing detailed compounding records, environmental documentation for the compounding area and cleaning records for the compounding area. Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral and external medications (non-sterile). This includes converting to proper weights and measures the amount of medication or solution to be used.

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. Understands requirements of USP 795, USP 797, USP 800, disposal of hazardous materials, safe medication distribution and electronic prescription processing.

Inventory Management Inventories and replenishes emergency medication carts and kits with appropriate medications and supplies. Conducts ward inspections of assigned medication storage areas in inpatient nursing units, clinical units, Pharmacy storage areas and other assigned areas.

Monitors the inventory needs of inpatient care areas, relays this information to the appropriate Pharmacy personnel. This includes placing stock in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves and removing/replacing outdated items. Monitors refrigerator temperature on a daily basis in pharmacy service.

Assists with inventory management and ordering of medicines and supplies. Pharmacy Automation Provides more advanced troubleshooting and issue reporting for pharmacy automation equipment and other systems. Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy automation equipment.

Provides training on the use of and maintenance of pharmacy automation equipment, as needed. Professional Relationships As deemed necessary by the pharmacy supervisor, assists in other patient care areas (including outpatient pharmacy services) to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services.

However, primary assignments of work schedule and tours would involve inpatient pharmacy services. Administrative Collects medication use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes as required.

Assists in total quality improvement activities by participating in medical center and service process assessment and action teams, continually seeks to improve services. Controlled Substances Delivers to controlled substance medications, as needed, to inpatient nursing units, critical care units, and surgical units.

Assists, as necessary, with inventory management of the controlled substances in the automated dispensing cabinets and Pharmacy. Training Maintains a training and education manual for assigned areas. Provides training/mentorship to new and existing staff.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized 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) 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) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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. 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: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR 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: 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.

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: Pharmacy Technician, GS-07 Experience.

Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower 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: PTCB as a CPhT. OR NHA as a ExCPT.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 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. Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: The work requires the regular and recurring use of a computer monitor, prolonged periods of sitting, 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.