Summary

This Pharmacy Technician position is in Pharmacy services at the Providence VA Medical Center - located at the Providence - RI location. The position is full time - 40 hours a week.

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: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English
• 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) National Health career 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 GS-07: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS06)
• In addition to this experience - 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: Nationally certified
• 2 years of hospital pharmacy experience
• Prior experience compounding sterile preparations
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (45 pounds and over)
• Light carrying (15 pounds) - Straight pulling (1 hour) - Reaching above shoulder - use of fingers
• both hands required
• walking (3.5 hours) standing (6.5 hours)
• Repeated bending (6.5 hour) - both legs required
• Ability to rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously - Near vision correctable to 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• depth perception - ability to distinguish basic colors
• ability to distinguish shades of colors
• hearing (aid may be permitted) mental and emotional stability.

Duties

• 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 Pharmacy technicians prepare medications by counting - pouring - weighing - measuring - and mixing or compounding for distribution to outpatients for pickup and mailing
• The pharmacy technician works in collaboration with other pharmacy technicians and responds to requests of pharmacists and other pharmacy supervisory staff
• Duties include - but not limited to: Fills prescription orders accurately by selecting correct product based on label requirements and assures each item is filed and labeled according to all applicable standards
• Correctly prepares physician orders - selects appropriate product - mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner (if applicable) inspects the final product for accuracy - suitability and elegance - labels the product - and supplies the product for pharmacist verification
• Manufactures all products requiring compounding - whether made in large batches for more than one patient or in small batches to fill a single prescription or drug order Maintains patient profiles - prepare insurance claim forms - stock - and take inventory of medications
• Possess advanced technical knowledge of all aspects of drug characteristics and nomenclature
• Sets up - adjusts and operates complex automated dispensing devices and equipment that supports the treatment of patients
• Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution
• Communicates and treats all internal and external customers (veterans - their representatives - visitors - and all VA staff) in a courteous - tactful - and respectful manner
• Work Schedule: Full time (Mon-Fri)
• 0800-1630
• Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized
• Recruitment Incentive (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) 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) Telework: Not Authorized
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F06757
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
• Notifications: Due to a critical staffing shortage - 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• This position is a LIUNA Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by a special rate
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment
• This position is in the Excepted Service.