Pharmacy Technician

Summary

The automation pharmacy technician is a certified technician with advanced skills in the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) - Ambulatory Care (AmCare) Pharmacy Section. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level are nationally certified by PTCB or ExCPT and can work autonomously - using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties.

NOTE:

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.

• Citizenship:
  Citizen of the United States
• Education or Experience
• 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
• Required
• 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 Health career Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• Grade Determinations:
  In addition to the basic requirements above - applicants must possess the following grade requirements
• GS-8 Pharmacy Technician:
  Applicants must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level
• (1)
  Experience
• Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below
• (2) Certification
• For positions above the full performance level - the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: (a) PTCB as aPhT
• OR (b) NHA as a ExCPT
• (3) Knowledge
  - Skills and Abilities
  
  (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment - if indicated: (a) Comprehensive knowledge of concepts - principles - methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding - controlled substances - automation - clinical pharmacy - contact center - etc.)
  
  Note:
  
  See Specialized  the Definitions Section
• (b) Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures
• (c) Ability to evaluate - analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy
• (4) Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Pharmacy technicians at this level have a higher level of responsibility for specialized areas of pharmacy and are expected to independently carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty
• (a) Pharmacy Technician
• Pharmacy technicians in this assignment specialize in areas such as sterile compounding - oncology - controlled substances - medication history review - clinical specialist (anticoagulation - pain - infectious diseases) - clinical informatics - automation - immunizations and any other specialized area in the advancement of the profession
• The pharmacy technician will serve as a subject matter expert and key resource in the day-to-day technician duties of the specialized area
• The technician will be performing assignments such as compounding sterile products - filling controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations - taking medication histories and counseling patients - managing automation - managing workflow and training and orienting staff in the specialized area
• References: VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Appendix G28 - Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standards
• 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.

• Duties include - but are not limited to: a
• Automation Technician Duties
  1) Coordinates the technical aspects of pharmacy drug distribution activities to ensure standard operating procedures are in alignment with automation capabilities so that efficiencies are maximized
• Incumbent is instrumental in recommending changes for the improvement of the workflow - work methods - and priorities involved within the drug distribution system
• 2) Analyzes usage reports to optimize medication utilization - reduce manual filling - and make adjustments as needed
• 3) Collaborates with inventory management team to assess usage…