Pharmacy Technician

This position is for a certified pharmacy technician above the full performance level GS-7 at the Orlando VA Healthcare System, specifically the Lake Baldwin Outpatient Clinic operating room, infusion, and outpatient pharmacy services. 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.

Duties:

* Accurately interpret, fills, and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification.

* Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition by assuring that all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris in order to create optional work areas.

* Assures drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including the storage of high-risk, look a-like sound alike, hazardous, controlled substances, corrosive chemical, flammable liquids, and refrigerated items.

* Receives, checks, rotates, and places in stock all items received from pharmacy procurement section and identifies and reconciles any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received.

* Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely the supervisor as appropriate.

* Records expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt.

* Perform monthly inspections to assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to expired drugs are removed. Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements.

* Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile). This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used for final pharmacist verification.

* Manufactures products requiring compounding, whether made in large batches for more than one patient or in small batches to fill a single prescription or drug order.

* Correctly interprets physician orders, selects, and measures appropriate ingredients, mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner, inspects the final product for accuracy, labels the product, maintains records of the manufacturing process, and attains a final check by a pharmacist.

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

* Proficiently operates equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines in the routing of manufacturing pharmaceutical products.

* Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution. Identifies basic therapeutic problems, such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention.

* Assists in training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students. Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non-professional staff members.

* Supporting the operating room and infusion needs of the Pharmacy service, including maintaining competency and actively compounding sterile products.

* Ensuring stock is maintained in assigned areas utilized automated dispensing cabinets.

* Other duties, as assigned.

Work Schedule:

Monday-Friday 0700am - 3:30pm. Employees may be required to work day, evening, night, weekend , holiday and or compressed tours on a rotating schedule. The hours may vary per the needs of the service and will rotate, on a fair and equitable basis, to include weekends and holidays

Telework:
Not Eligible

Virtual:
This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 81990F

Relocation/Recruitment

Incentives:

Not Authorized