This position is for a certified pharmacy technician above the full performance level GS-7 at the Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level are nationally certified by PTCB or ExCPT and can work autonomously, using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Education or Experience. None required. 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: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). Grandfathering Provision. Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. 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. 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). Grade Determinations GS-07: Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06) and demonstrate the KSAs below. Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: PTCB as a CPhT. OR NHA as a ExCPT. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for ALL GS-07 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated: 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. References: Appendix G28. Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standard 0661 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07. Physical Requirements: The work environment is an inpatient pharmacy, an outpatient pharmacy and/or a patient care area environment (including the Surgical Suite, Primary Care, or Emergency Department). There may be extremes of temperature, distractions, noise from equipment or patient care activities. Handles frozen and refrigerated products often. May be required to use heating equipment. Exposure to negative and positive air pressure rooms is also possible. Must be able to don/doff protective garments and use equipment as necessary for assignment. May work with cleaning and disinfecting products occasionally. Must have the use of fingers; both hands required; Twisting and grasping of bottles and vials or syringes occurs frequently. Some lifting (50 lbs.), stretching and forward and overhead reaching is involved. Walking and standing 8-12 hours; repeated bending 8 hours; both legs required. May have to kneel to retrieve product(s) from lower cabinets or the floor. Must be able to rapidly coordinate mental and muscular duties simultaneously. Computer keyboard activity and computer monitor use is frequently performed. May be required to operate robotic packaging machinery and automated dispensing devices. Fine motor skills (for packaging and counting) and excellent visual acuity (for expiration date, tablet identification, and prescription interpretation) are required. Near vision correctable @ 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception; ability to distinguish shades of colors. Hearing acuity is required for phone communication, patient counseling and professional communication (hearing aid use is permitted). May be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials. May occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Works closely with others. May have protracted or irregular hours of work. Shift rotation is commonly required. ["Duties include but not limited: General: 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 in order 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 alike, 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 the supervisor as appropriate. Records expiration dates in the inventory system (ie. Central Pharmacy Manager) upon receipt. Performs monthly inspections of assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to be expired drugs are removed. Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements. Performs daily refrigerator and or freezer temperature checks and/or monthly inspections for outdates according to local policy and standard operating procedures. Demonstrates the ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality. Performs duties of all lower grade technicians as needed. Completes all National, VISN, local, and Pharmacy mandatory trainings in a timely manner. Maintains national certification with PTCB or ExCPT. Complies with all VHA, Medical Center, and Pharmacy regulations, directives, policies, and procedures. Controlled Substances Activities: These functions will be supported in the absence of the controlled substance technician or other higher-level technician (i.e., after hours, weekends, and leave). Accurately interpret, fills, and readies prescriptions with appropriate medications for pharmacist verification. Appropriately restocks controlled substances items in automated secured cabinets (i.e., Omnicell) in pharmacy or throughout medical center, as assigned. Documents all controlled substance related transactions as indicated by VA and DEA guidelines. Assures that inventory counts are correct at the time of restocking. Ensures that proper handoff occurs when receiving or delivering controlled substances, assuring that at all times these medications are never left unsecured. Reports unresolvable discrepancies to immediate area supervisor for resolution. Assist in investigating, witnessing, and resolving discrepancies. Complies with all laws, regulations, directives, policies, and procedures applying to the dispensing, storage, transfer, inventory, and accountability of controlled substances. Assists inspectors with the inventory and accountability inspections. Unit Dose Medication Management: Performs review of medications prepared by another pharmacy employee to be dispensed to hospital areas. Inventories and replenishes emergency trays, bags, and kits. Operates and maintains automated dispensing unit dose systems (i.e. overwrap system, syringe labeler, Yuyama packager). Inspects packaged items for accuracy and suitability before submitting for final check, prior to distribution to hospital areas. Assures repackaged dosage forms are labeled according to USP and VA standards and attains a final review by a pharmacist. Maintains repackaging records that assures all regulatory and review standards are met. Automatic Replenishment/Ward Stock: Correctly inventories, assesses, and determines the need for floor stock and external medication. Follows established policies and procedures, schedules, inventory levels, and usage rate reports to determine appropriate stock levels for specific areas of use. Accurately fills prescription items for wards using Automatic Replenishment reports. 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. Assures that each area that is inspected meets established standards for appropriate drug storage conditions including drug security for inspection and accreditation. Outpatient Pharmacy Activities - When assigned: Prescription Assembly Window Pick-Up Mail Packaging Work Schedule: Based on availability and needs of the service. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD93269A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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