Pharmacy Technician -Inpatient

About the role

At the full performance level, Pharmacy Technicians act as central communication hubs within the pharmacy, expertly responding to telephone inquiries and managing calls from patients, healthcare providers, and other members of the care team. They are adept at evaluating the nature and urgency of each call, accurately triaging requests, and connecting individuals with appropriate resources. Their unwavering commitment are fundamental to delivering outstanding care and support to Veterans. 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). 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). The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 7. 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. 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. 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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-6 you must possess at least 1 year of experience at the next lower level (GS-5), and must fully meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), which are: 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience/KSAs above, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs at the GS - 6 level: 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: Three or more years of inpatient pharmacy technician experience. Familiar with non-sterile and sterile intravenous compounding, working with automated dispensing cabinets, medication tray replenishment, and unit dose medication processing. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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 50 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies, and ending/stooping/stretching. Requires ability to sit in front of a computer performing searches and data entry for hours at a time.