Pharmacy Technician

Description:

Pharmacy technicians at this level perform duties such as dispensing prescriptions using automated systems, identifying, and reporting failure of automation, prepacking medications, mailing prescriptions, delivery of medications to floors/ patients, filling medications for the pharmacist to review, checking for expired medications, answering phones with appropriate disposition, preparing sterile products (when applicable) and assisting with basic inventory management.

Requirements:

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

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.

English Language Proficiency. Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed.

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:

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-03

Education and Experience

• One year of post-secondary education Or,
• Six months of general experience Or,
• Student Technician. A student enrolled in an approved nationally accredited pharmacy technician program for an occupation identified in 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(A) or (B) may be appointed on a temporary full-time, part-time or intermittent basis under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(D) for a period not to exceed two years or the duration of the individual's program.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-04.

Education and Experience

• Completion of two years of post-secondary coursework related to pharmacy (e.g., 12 semester hours of science and mathematics courses) Or,
• Completion of one of the following:
  • Six months of experience, that demonstrated knowledge of medication or medical field practice Or
  • Successful completion of a military or nationally recognized pharmacy technician education/training program. American Society of Health System Pharmacists® (ASHP), American Pharmacist Association (APHA), Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), PTCB or NHA are examples of acceptable professional organizations recognizing such training programs. NOTE: Training courses recognized by PTCB and NHA are not actual certifications Or,
  • One year of experience equivalent to next lower grade (GS-3) level

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). I n addition to the education or experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to follow policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain appropriate files.
• Ability to communicate with patients and other health professionals.
• Ability to follow both written and verbal instructions.
• Ability to operate office software/equipment to include, computers, software applications and printers.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-05

Education or Experience

• Successful completion of four years post-secondary education with courses related to pharmacy (e.g., 48 semester hours of science, mathematics, pharmacy) or a bachelor's degree. Or
• An associate's degree in pharmacy technician or technology (48 semester hours of concentrated pharmacy technician training) Or,
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-4) level.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the education or experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of basic pharmacy operations.
• Knowledge of pharmaceuticals to perform duties in pharmacy functional areas.
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical nomenclature (including generic, chemical and proprietary names of drug).
• Ability to fill prescriptions.
• Ability to use pharmacy information systems or basic pharmacy dispensing equipment with oversight.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-06

Education or Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-5) level.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice.
• Knowledge of preparation, storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation.
• Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment.
• Knowledge of basic inventory procedures.
• Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working in a complex health care facility.
• Experience working in a fast-paced outpatient pharmacy setting.

Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 pounds and over), Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), Light lifting (under 15 pounds), Heavy carrying (45 pounds and over), Moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), Light carrying (under 15 pounds), Straight pulling (2 hours), Pushing, Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking (up to 4 hours), Standing (prolonged), Repeated bending, Climbing, use of legs and arms (infrequent), Operation of motor vehicle, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Specific visual requirement (Ability to read fine print on labels), Depth perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Hearing (aid permitted), Clear Speech, Emotional Stability, Good Dexterity

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6 . The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-3 - GS-6 .

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