Summary

The Oklahoma City VA Healthcare System - Pharmacy Service - is recruiting for a Pharmacy Technician. 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.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States
• 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
• c
• 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 Health career Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for appointment in paragraph 5 - VA HR staff must use the following criteria to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates
• Pharmacy Technician - GS-7 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: (a) PTCB as a CPhT
• OR (b) 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
• This vacancy is being announced at the full performance level which is a GS-7. Physical Requirements: Work is performed primarily in the inpatient pharmacy and outpatient care areas - where there is a potential for exposure to communicable diseases
• Such areas are adequately heated and ventilated - and safety precautions are required
• In some cases - dealing with anti-neoplastic drugs may expose the incumbent to hazardous and toxic agents
• The incumbent works with drugs/chemicals and must exercise precautions to avoid accidental contact to the skin - eyes - and lungs
• Follows life safety management (fire protection) procedures
• Follows all hazardous pharmaceutical handling and disposal policies
• Reports safety hazardous materials/Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)/waste management issues through appropriate channels
• Follows Emergency Preparedness plan
• Follows security policies/procedures
• This position requires climbing stairs - lifting to 40 pounds - dexterity of the hand and wrist - and arm strength to perform dispensing of medication orders
• The position requires walking - standing - and sitting for long periods of time
• g
• Complies with federal - state - and local environmental and other requirements preventing pollution - minimizing waste - and conserving cultural and natural resources.

Duties

• General Accurately interpret - fills - and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification
• 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
• Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures
• Reports automation malfunctions timely the supervisor as appropriate
• May be assigned to work in other areas of pharmacy service as deemed necessary by the Chief - Pharmacy Service or Supervisor
• Controlled Substances Activities 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
• Ensures that proper handoff occurs when receiving or delivering controlled substances - assuring that at all times these medications are never left unsecured
• Inpatient Pharmacy Activities Sterile Product Compounding These functions will be supported assisting in or the absence of the sterile compounding technician (i.e. - after hours - weekends - and leave)
• 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
• Operates and maintains automated dispensing unit dose systems
• Inspects packaged items for accuracy and suitability before submitting for final check - prior to distribution to hospital areas
• Assures repackaged dosage forms are labeled according to USP and VA standards and attains a final review by a pharmacist
• 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) Verifies that the patient has received all prescriptions (i.e. - refrigerated - controlled substances - bulk medications - etc.) 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
• Calls patients to arrange delivery of refrigerated prescriptions and verifies patients address
• Packages prescriptions appropriately - as to assure that packages are not damaged within transit (i.e. - bubble wrap - ice blocks - insulated containers - etc.) Choice or Community Care Independently contacts prescribers or non-VA clinic staff for prescription information to meet NF or PADR criteria
• Receives authorization - NF - or PADR documentation
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (6:00am - 2:30pm - 7:00am - 3:30pm - 8:00am - 4:30pm)
• Tours of duty include rotating shifts and weekend coverage as deemed necessary based on the needs of the service
• 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 Functional Statement #: 635-59043-A