Pharmacy Technician (Outpatient)

Summary

This position is in Pharmacy Service, Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center, (VAMC Memphis) Memphis, TN. This position provides pharmacy technician support to the facility and healthcare team.

Duties

Pharmacy technicians at this grade level can work autonomously, using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. Pharmacy technicians above the full performance level (GS-6) can mentor and train lower grade technicians in the practice setting. The employee will assist the pharmacist in providing optimal care and timely service in accordance with the mission, vision, and goals of the VAMC Memphis and Pharmacy Service. Duties include but are not limited to: 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 optimal work areas. Appropriately restocks controlled substances items in automated secured cabinets (i.e., Omnicell) in pharmacy or throughout medical center, as assigned. Complies with all laws, regulations, directives, policies, and procedures applying to the dispensing, storage, transfer, inventory, and accountability of controlled substances. Uses standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each batch prepared. Performs review of medications prepared by another pharmacy employee to be dispensed to hospital areas. Accurately fills prescription items for wards using Automatic Replenishment reports. Verifies that the patient receives the correct prescriptions by using VA software (i.e., ScriptPro, VISTA and barcode scanning). Utilizes and comprehends the mail shipping programs used by the facility (i.e., USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.) for delivery of non-controlled andcontrolled prescriptions. Receives telephone calls from Veterans through the automated call distribution system. Answers Veteran inquiries related to process questions. Follows-through to provider on electronic health record (EHR) as appropriate. Work Schedule: Sunday - Saturday Midnight-2359, rotating weekends and holidays; as determined by the service. Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 50487-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

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: 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: 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). Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met at the grade in which you are applying. Experience. For the GS-7, Pharmacy Technician must possess one year experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6). 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. Preferred Experience: VA employment, Lead pharmacy technician experience. References: VA Handbook 5005/159, Part II, Appendix G28, dated November 7, 2023. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.