Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This announcement is open to the public. If you are a Current, Permanent VA employee, Health Professional Trainees or other Federal Employees, please apply to the internal announcement: CBSU-12891198-26-ALA Veterans' preference does NOT apply for this announcement per 38 U.S.C. § 7412."

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VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

This position functions as a clinical pharmacy technician at the Oklahoma City VA Health Care System with physical assignment in the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center. There will be potential assignments in all the patient care areas of the pharmacy service. However, the position has a primary focus in the clinical section supporting the anticoagulation and PACT Pharmacist clinics. This includes various forms of population management support, communication (with patients, other services and other health care organizations), scheduling support, and various administrative projects and tasks.

The clinical pharmacy technician will provide support outpatient clinical pharmacy services in relation to patient administrative tasks, population management, reporting, and other activities as assigned. All assigned clinical activities and functions will be completed in accordance with approved clinical pharmacy protocols. Assigned activities will include:
a. Support of patient administration through identification of patients due for an encounter/lab work, responding to non-clinical patient questions, and other patient communication as directed by assigned clinical pharmacist practitioners.
b. Conducts medication reconciliation interviews, if assigned, and scripted disease state interviews in support of outpatient clinical pharmacy services. Enters note into the electronic medical record for assigned clinical pharmacist practitioner to review, evaluate, and sign.
c. Support coordination of care for outpatient clinical pharmacy services when directed by assigned clinical pharmacist practitioner. This may include requesting outside records or review of available online records for targeted information.
d. Support patient care through provision of point-of-care testing.
e. Support face-to-face clinical pharmacy encounters through regularly evaluating stock of clinic supplies and requesting replenishment of supplies to par values.
f. Facilitate the process of lab ordering and lab draws at all Oklahoma City VA sites through communication with patients, lab, nursing, and pharmacy staff.
g. Routinely reviews laboratory monitoring reports for selected disease states and identifies patients with lab values beyond normal limits. Reports identified patient to assigned clinical pharmacist practitioner for evaluation.
h. Routinely review computer medication profile for prescription duplication, therapeutic duplication, prescription noncompliance, and allergies/adverse drug reactions. Report identified patients to assigned clinical pharmacist practitioner for evaluation.
i. Support scheduling efforts when needed for outpatient pharmacy clinics.
j. Documents clinical and operational activities as assigned.
k. Participate in QA process as assigned.
l. Participate in residency program administration as assigned.
m. Enter orders for new or renewal medications as assigned, for signature by an appropriate prescriber.
n. Support pharmacy operations when the needs of the pharmacy require support through completion of pharmacy technicians functionality with the outpatient pharmacy, inpatient pharmacy, or procurement sections. This may include supporting drug distribution, preparation, labeling, stocking, preparation of kits, etc. These tasks would be completed with appropriate pharmacist supervision.
o. Provides timely and courteous communication with patients.
p. Completion of TMS and other assigned training.
q. Support the research process for the clinical pharmacy section.
r. Maintain all TMS, professional licensure, and other required elements to perform pharmacy technicians tasks in the Pharmacy Service.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 0800-16:30
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
Functional Statement #: PD59042A

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

1. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States.
2. Education or Experience.
   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.
3. Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
   1. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR
   2. National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
4. Grandfathering Provision. 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).
5. 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.
6. 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).

Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for appointment, VA HR staff must use the following criteria to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-08.

1. Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07) and demonstrate the KSAs below.
2. Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
   1. PTCB as a CPhT. OR
   2. NHA as a ExCPT.
3. 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.)
   • 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

This position is performed above the full performance level.

Physical Requirements: The position requires walking, standing, and sitting for long periods of time. The position also requires climbing stairs, lifting up to 50 pounds, dexterity of the hand and wrist, and arm strength.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.