Pharmacy Technician

Allied Health Professional

Major duties include:

• Read and interpret prescriptions, obtain proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form, determine proper amount and count, pour, or measure the medications; affix proper label; and record required data on Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. After a final check by a pharmacist, dispense medication in ambulatory care or discharge situations.
• Inventory and replenish emergency carts with appropriate medications and supplies.
• Collect drug use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes as required.
• Operate and maintain 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.
• Compound and/or reconstitute oral or external medications (non-sterile); includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used.
• Answer questions with regard to drug distribution procedures and timeframes for delivery.
• Identify basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alert the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention.

• Conduct ward inspections of patient care areas.
• Ensure all look alike, sound alike, high alert, refrigerated medications are stored properly according to manufacturers recommendations and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requirement.
• Monitor inventory needs in patient care areas, relays this information to the appropriate Pharmacy personal. This also includes placing stock in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves and removing/replacing outdated items.
• Maintain a training/education manual for the focus area assigned.
• Provide training and mentorship to new or existing staff.
• Monitors refrigerator temperature daily in pharmacy service.
• Assists with inventory management and ordering of medicines and supplies.
• Perform necessary daily maintenance, loading, and documentation functions for automated dispensing equipment. Problem solve dispensing issues and trouble shoot basic software or hardware issues. Operate equipment per policy and assure that the product identification precisely matches the medication order.

Work Schedule: 7:30am-4pm with rotating holidays and weekends.

Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized

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)

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 #: 94415A

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized