Pharmacy Technician

Summary This position functions primarily in Pharmacy Service at the Charlotte VA Health Care Center. This is the full performance level for pharmacy technicians. Employees at this grade level serve as staff pharmacy technicians, receiving little guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex patients and procedures and require minimal supervision. Duties Duties include but are not limited to: Reads and interprets prescriptions from the veteran electronic health record systems (EHRS) or in written format. Reviews prescription orders for technical accuracy. Prepares medications and ensures the orderable item matches the item being dispensed with regard to drug, strength, quantity, or appropriate supply item. Dispenses medications following all regulations, policies, and procedures for safe medication distribution. Uses Automatic Dispensing machines (ADM) to batch and label medications. Ensure ScriptTalk labels are batched if needed. Understands when to use other prescription labels with computer outages. Maintains highly sophisticated pharmacy equipment. This includes cleaning procedures and maintenance of ADM's and other counting machines. Troubleshoot equipment and databases when needed. Assists the pharmacist with problem solving patient care or medication issues. Assists to complete required pharmacy reporting obligations as directed. Maintains pharmacy security. This includes the physical security of the pharmacy and the security of electronic records. Assists in quality improvement projects as an individual or on assigned teams to improve pharmacy service. Maintains accountability for tour of duty. This includes being ready for their tour of duty at the start of their shift, and being on time as they return from lunch, breaks, or other assigned meetings and activities. Efficiently uses written communication skills for job related activities such as secure messaging, email, or other form of pharmacy communication. Able to use the current facility phone system. Maintains appropriate phone etiquette and professionalism. Able to work independently in phone center locations. Accurately collects and clarifies patient information. Capable of synthesizing patient information to identify basic therapeutic, distributive, or medication related problems. Understands when to alert pharmacists for problems. Communicates information accurately in the electronic health record (EHR) or other formats. Fills medication "to be mailed" in accordance with description provided in the medication distribution section. Ensures prescription label matches mailing label and maintains accuracy in other software or paper systems. Able to transport mail containers to pick up destinations, restock supplies, lift mail bags or containers. Work Schedule: Full time, Rotational tours, Monday-Saturday, 8:00am-4:30pm6:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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) 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: Pharmacy Technician, GS-07 Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower 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: (a) PTCB as a CPhT. OR (b) NHA as a ExCPT. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work. (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent. (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers. (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students. (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution. (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases. 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 are nationally certified and can work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. They assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives. At this level, pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy. They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy, including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations, with minimal oversight Preferred Experience: Certified Pharmacy Technician Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. Must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position. 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: 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. 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