Pharmacy Technician - Inpatient

Description:

This position is for a certified pharmacy technician at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System with extensive inpatient experience. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level are nationally certified by PTCB or NHA and can work autonomously, using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. The incumbent will assist the pharmacist in providing optimal care and timely service in accordance with the mission, vision, and goals of the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System.

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 in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

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).

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

GRADE REQUIREMENTS

Pharmacy Technician, GS-07

• Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-6) 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:
  • The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board as a CPhT. Or,
  • The National Healthcareer Association 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.

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).

Preferred Experience. Recent experience compounding hazardous sterile products and CSPT certification.

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

This position is above Full Performance Level.

Physical Requirements. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances within the medical center, lifting/ carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies and bending/stooping/stretching.