Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technician

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

Maintains a clean and orderly work area by ensuring that all stock and equipment are properly organized in their designated places, and that all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris, thereby creating optimal workspace.

Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile). a. Prepares products requiring compounding and/or reconstitution in either large batches for more than one patient or in small batches to fill a single prescription or drug order. b. Correctly interprets prescription 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. c. Uses standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date or beyond use date for each batch prepared. d. Proficiently operates equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines required to prepare compounded and/or reconstituted 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.

Utilizes automated dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff, following all safety and quality assurance (QA) procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely to the supervisor as appropriate.

Records expiration dates in automated prescription dispensing systems upon filling or restocking.

Performs monthly inspections of assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and removal of soon-to-expire or expired medications. Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Assures drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to United States Pharmacopeia (USP), Joint Commission, 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 stocks items received from pharmacy procurement section, identifying and reconciling any discrepancies to ensure the correct items have been received.

Monitors refrigerator, freezer, and/or room temperature and humidity in assigned areas, responding to alerts with appropriate correction or escalation as indicated.

Possesses technical knowledge of aspects of drug characteristics and nomenclature including: a. Generic and brand names b. Dosage forms c. Various systems of weights and measurements d. Drug product codes e. Drug interchangeability and therapeutic equivalence

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

Demonstrates the ability to work under various circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality.

Performs duties of all lower-grade pharmacy technicians as needed.

Assists higher-grade technicians as needed and assigned.

May be assigned to work in other areas of pharmacy service as deemed necessary by the Chief, Pharmacy Service or Supervisor.

Under supervision, follows USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations.

Inventories and replenishes emergency carts and/or ADE cabinets with a second view. Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvements purposes.

Work Schedule: An 8-hour tour with rotating weekends, holidays, evenings and nights on a fair and equitable basis for service needs.

Pay: Competitive regular salary increases.

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)

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)