This is a Pharmacy Technician position located at Pittsburgh VA Medical Center-University Drive in Pittsburgh, PA. This position functions primarily in the inpatient care areas and the Pharmacy Service within the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. The position will primarily staff the 24/7/365 University Drive inpatient pharmacy however the incumbent may also be required to periodically work at the HJ Heinz inpatient pharmacy as staffing needs dictate.
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). 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. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. 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). Pharmacy Technician, GS-07 Grade Determinations: 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 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work. Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent. Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers. Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students. Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution. Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases. Preferred Experience: Minimum 3 years of hospital or long term care pharmacy experience preferred. Previous experience with sterile IV compounding preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7.
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include but are not limited to the following: Provides inpatient services may include such areas as aseptic admixture preparation including cytotoxic agents, automatic and on-demand ward stock replenishment, maintenance and operation of automated prepackaging storage and dispensing equipment, assembly and documentation of controlled substance requests and properly packaging with documentation of single unit of use medications. Reads and interprets medication orders prescriptions, obtains proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form, determines proper amount and counts, pours, or measures the medications; affixes proper label; and records required data. Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment such as unit dose prepackaging machines, automatic dispensing machines, IV compounding machines and other pharmacy devices. Able to troubleshoot the equipment and the technology platforms/databases. Follow USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations, including ophthalmic, cardioplegic, TPN, hazardous, large & small volume IV solutions, PCAs, etc. Manufactures uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume, small volume, infusion syringe or other as required. Understands requirements of USP 795, USP 797, USP 800, disposal of hazardous materials, safe medication distribution and electronic order processing. Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment such as unit dose prepackaging machines, automatic dispensing machines, IV compounding machines and other pharmacy devices. Able to troubleshoot the equipment and the technology platforms/databases. 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. Fills prescription items for wards using Automatic Replenishment reports. Maintains, verifies, stocks, and replaces outdates in patient care areas and the areas' automated dispensing machines. Performs and documents an inspection of assigned hospital areas for medication storage. Removes all expired and deteriorated drugs from the automated dispensing stations, stocks shelves, and the unit dose automated dispensing systems. As deemed necessary by the pharmacy supervisor, assists in other patient care areas (including outpatient pharmacy services) to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. Work Schedule: Rotating shifts to include daylight, evening, weekend, and occasional overnights Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 02661-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized