Pharmacy Technician (Inpatient)

Summary

The inpatient clinical pharmacy technician is a certified pharmacy technician at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System (WPBVAHCS). The employee 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 and Pharmacy.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

07/02/2024 to 07/11/2024

• Salary

$59,747 - $77,673 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 7

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Location

2 vacancies in the following location:

• West Palm Beach, FL 2 vacancies

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

Not required

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0661 Pharmacy Technician

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBTC-12463927-24-KLJ

• Control number

798250500

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This job is open to

• Federal employees

• Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

• Federal employees

• Excepted service

Current excepted service federal employees.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy announcement is opened to current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees and other Federal Employees ONLY. US citizens may apply to the Public Announcement, CBTC-12463929-24-KLJ. There is NO need in applying to both, please.

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Duties

Duties are, but not limited to:

• Duties related to stocking, delivering, inventory, inspections, assembling ward orders, prescription assembly, controlled substances distribution, sterile compounding (including hazardous drugs), unit-dose drug packaging, dispensing, distribution, and any other function related to pharmaceutical practices.

• The incumbent works independently to accomplish work objectives and provide exceptional customer service to customers, relying on the guidance and professional support of the pharmacist.

• Follows USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations, including ophthalmic, cardioplegic, hazardous, large & small volume IV solutions, PCAs, etc.

• 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.

• Uses standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each batch prepared.

• Consistently displays competence with good manufacturing practices and sterile technique through demonstration and/or actual work performance.

• Follows proper aseptic preparation techniques when compounding sterile products.

• Performs necessary calculations to compound intravenous solutions and prescriptions.

• Appropriately maintains all quality assurance records in accordance with regulatory requirements.

• Cleans all IV ante and clean rooms per USP 797/800 standards. Cleaning includes daily duties of cleaning the exteriors of sharp containers, waste receptacles, hazardous waste bins and placing them outside of IV room for pick up. Mopping floors.

• Utilizes, cleans and maintains a variety of complex Pharmacy equipment including tablet counters, laminar flow hoods, scales, pumps, unit dose packaging equipment, ADCs, etc.

• Accurately and efficiently utilizes all automated pharmacy systems. Automated pharmacy systems include, but are not limited to prepacking system, and Pyxis.

• Inputs, manipulates, view and prints data from the VISTA data-base as needed, to process workload.

• Replenishes crash cart trays, emergency kits, etc. in a timely manner. Completes and maintains all required documentation/logs.

• Uses and maintains ATP Profile machine. Makes configuration changes, change in drugs to make the machine run more efficiently.

• 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.

• Maintains repackaging records that assures all regulatory and review standards are met.

• Fills and dispenses unit dose medication (first doses and replenishment). Incumbent assumes responsibility for incorrect dispensing activity.

• Fills individual patient medication drawer using computer generated Medication Administration Records independently.

• Fills unit dose medication carts, carefully monitoring drug, form of drug, dose, and amount to dispense. Identifies discrepancies between "VISTA pick list and usual dosing patterns, and notifies pharmacist of potential error (i.e. pick list order for digoxin 0.25mg qid, instead of the usual qd.)

• Performs final review of medication (prepared by another technician) to be dispensed to inpatient areas (unit dose carts), and/or fills unit dose carts independently.

• Prepacks medication from bulk stock to unit dose using the pharmacy prepacking equipment as well as manual processes.

• Performs bulk compounding, including oral and topical preparations.

• Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile) independently.

• Prepares and fills outpatient prescriptions for pharmacist review for both controlled and non-controlled medications when the outpatient pharmacy is closed.

• Trouble-shoots minor mechanical problems of all automated systems as they occur and coordinates resolution of more involved mechanical or software problems with Supervisor, vendor help desk, ADPAC, etc. as appropriate.

• Assists in the training and orientation of newly hired technicians, interns and students.

• Reviews, fills and dispenses ward stock orders, assuring quantities requested are consistent with established levels. Delivers ward stock orders in a timely manner.

• For safety, security, and cost control reasons it is imperative that stock be appropriately received and placed into storage areas. All pharmacy personnel are responsible for putting stock away in its proper storage areas.

Work Schedule: Rotating shifts (including: days, nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays).

Telework: Not available

Functional Statement #: 41219F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.

• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.

• You may be required to serve a probationary period.

• Subject to background/security investigation.

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.

• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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.

• 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.

• 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 Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

• 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).

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). Details on grandfathering are listed in the Assessment Questionnaire section of this announcement.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, VA HR staff must use the following criteria to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/159 PART II APPENDIX G28 Dated: 11/7/2023.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 7.

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.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/.

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.