Pharmacy Technician (Outpatient)

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmaceutical Care:

• Interpret, fill, prepare, and package prescriptions and medical supplies for pharmacist verification.
• Dispense medications after pharmacist verification.
• Answer drug distribution questions and provide basic patient education (e.g., refill process).
• Maintain proper storage, inventory, and removal of outdated medications.
• Monitor refrigerator/freezer temperatures and reconstitute medications with accurate calculations.
• Operate, stock, and troubleshoot automated dispensing systems (Omnicell, ScriptPro, Parata).
• Process returned postal packages according to guidelines.

Prescription Fulfillment:

• Correctly assemble prescriptions with proper drug, strength, quantity, and labels.
• Use barcode scanning for accuracy in filling medications.
• Support manual filling when automation is not used.
• Complete prescriptions in a timely manner.
• Verify patient identity and prescription accuracy at pickup.
• Package and process mailed prescriptions, including refrigerated items, using USPS/FedEx/UPS.
• Update patient information, generate shipping reports, and resolve mailing issues.

Ward and Clinic Stock Management:

• Inventory and replenish ward/clinic stock at main and satellite locations.
• Use usage reports to determine proper stock levels.
• Fill medications for wards/clinics and ensure proper storage conditions.
• Inspect hospital areas, remove expired drugs, and ensure compliance with storage standards.

Controlled Substances Activities:

• Maintain vault duties and document all controlled substance transactions per VA/DEA rules.
• Safeguard controlled substances, resolve discrepancies, and coordinate handoffs.
• Restock automated controlled-substance cabinets and verify inventory counts.
• Follow all laws and policies regarding storage, transfer, dispensing, and accountability.

Administrative / Education / Training:

• Maintain clean, organized workspaces.
• Train new technicians, interns, and students.
• Perform duties across various technician levels as needed.
• Use VistA, EHR, and related systems for administrative processing.
• Enter and process prescription requests and renewals, including controlled substances.
• Participate in performance and quality improvement initiatives.
• Complete mandatory national, VISN, and local training.

Communication:

• Maintain effective working relationships with providers, nursing, pharmacy staff, and others.
• Support VISN Clinical Contact Center activities (calls, secure messaging, chat, text, video).
• Provide patient assistance with refills, renewals, tracking, and pharmacy procedures.
• Document patient interactions in appropriate systems.
• Communicate professionally to ensure positive customer experience.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday (8:00 AM-4:30 PM or 8:30AM-5:00 PM); Tour may be further adjusted or extended (including holiday/weekend) to meet patient care needs.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): 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 #: 51415

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

US Department of Veterans Affairs