Summary

The Pharmacy Controlled Substance Technician is a certified - highly specialized technician - under the Chief of Pharmacy Service - who is responsible for the first-line management of all controlled substances handled. This position requires thorough knowledge and understanding of federal - VA - and facility regulations regarding controlled substances and pharmacy processes in general and involves performing complex procedures over a range of functions.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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)
• Education
• (1) None required
• (2) 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
• 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)
• **Proof of this certification must be provided with this application** 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: (1) 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
• (2) 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
• (3) 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
• (4) 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
• (5) 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 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: Pharmacy Technician - GS-08 In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above - the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates
• Experience
• Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below: Certification
• This position is above the full performance level and the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) - as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
• OR The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) - as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment - if indicated: Comprehensive knowledge of concepts - principles - methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding - controlled substances - automation - clinical pharmacy - contact center - etc.) Note: See Specialized Area.in the Definitions Section
• Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures
• Ability to evaluate - analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy
• Preferred Experience: OPP and IV hospital experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08
• Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the duties of this position
• The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion - involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time - typing - walking distances within the medical center - lifting/carrying (up to 50 pounds) of supplies - bending/stooping - pushing/pulling/stretching - and driving government vehicles.

Duties

• This position requires thorough knowledge and understanding of federal - VA - and facility regulations regarding controlled substances and pharmacy processes in general and involves performing complex procedures over a range of functions
• Duties of this position at the inpatient and/or outpatient pharmacy of the James A Haley Veterans' Hospital and Clinics include but not limited to all services involving receipt - storage - fill - dispense - transfer - inventory - administration - waste - or destruction of controlled substances per Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Handbooks and Directives - as well as all Office of Inspector General (OIG) Directives and Health System Policy
• Functions: -Ability to prepare - fill - and dispense controlled substance according to policies and procedures
• -Conducts regularly scheduled inventories every 72 hours & daily if needed according to regulations and policies
• -Assists the Controlled Substance Compliance Inspectors to complete the monthly inspections
• -Effectively coordinates - manages - completes - and documents the purchasing of all prescription & non-prescription - drug products and supplies by maintaining a comprehensive knowledge of the procurement and formulary process
• -Maintains - verifies - stocks - and replaces outdated CS medications from stock -including inpatient wards - inpatient/outpatient storage cabinets - vaults
• -Maintains accurate electronic inventory through decrementing prescriptions - entering received inventory - transferring to automated dispensing cabinets - dispensing on green sheets - and transferring to other dispensing vaults
• -Follows policies and procedures for handling the destruction and return of controlled substance medication
• -Works with pharmacy procurement personnel by providing information regarding medications and supplies needed from the warehouse or wholesaler based on items used
• -Assists - reviews - and makes recommendation in inventory control of controlled Substances
• -Monitors - analyzes orders - and usage/distribution patterns for questionable circumstances or unusual trends
• Communicates potential problems to the Pharmacy Manager
• -Provides training for pharmacists - interns - technicians - inspectors - students - and others in controlled substance accountability procedures
• -Prepares - operates - restocks - and maintains complex automated dispensing cabinets and all necessary equipment supporting pharmaceutical patient care functions
• -Maintains file of hard copy of hand-written CII-V prescriptions
• -Resolves inventory discrepancies immediately when discovered by reviewing reports and contacting appropriate persons when needed
• Reports discrepancies to pharmacy supervisor for follow up
• -Ensures all controlled substances procedures abide by all local requirements - VISN - OIG and VHA handbook expectations and requirements - The Joint Commission (TJC) standards - VACO directives - Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) requirements - appropriate inventory management practices - and other state and local requirements that apply
• -Maintains security of controlled substances by controlling access to storage areas - and by ensuring that controlled substances are always kept in the locked - supervised area - specifically designated for controlled substance storage
• -Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition by assuring that all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves &counters are free of dust and debris in order to create optimal work areas
• Work Schedule: rotating shifts - weekends - and holidays - as needed by the Service
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and 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)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 #:71177-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized