Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technician

The technician will assist in both outpatient and inpatient Pharmacy areas. Inpatient functions include packaging unit dose medications utilizing unit dose packaging machine, replenishing stock in automated dispensing machines, conducting routine ward inspections, preparing intravenous admixtures, and delivering medications to inpatient and outpatient clinics. Outpatient functions include filling and labeling medications for verification by a pharmacist, assisting patients at the pharmacy pick-up window, cleaning and refilling the outpatient automated dispensing machines, and preparing outpatient-controlled substances in accordance with facility policy for pharmacist verification. The incumbent performs all duties under the supervision of a pharmacist and is expected to acquire and maintain a high degree of accurate productivity and performance.

Duties include, but not limited to:

• 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 to create optimal 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 a-like, 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 to the supervisor as appropriate.
• 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.
• Proficiently operates equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines in the routing of manufacturing pharmaceutical products.

Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts (0700-1530, 0800-1630, 0830-1700, 0930-1800, 1230-2100, 1400-2230). Will be required to work at least one weekend per month (weekend tours include 0730-1600, 0800-1630, 1230-2100, 1400-2230). Will be required to work some holidays and provide coverage for odd tours and nights (1230-2100, 1530-midnight, 8pm-8am, midnight-8am). May be required to work extra weekends and holidays during periods of staffing shortages. Tour of duty is subject to change based on agency's needs.

Compressed/Flexible: Available.

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 #: 61535F.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.