Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies. First are of consideration is Facility. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties:

This position is for an intermittent pharmacy technician to support inpatient pharmacy operations at the Lake Nona Medical Center.

• Reads and interprets prescriptions, obtains proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form; determines proper amount and counts, pours, or measures the medications; affixes proper label; and records required data on electronically or via the Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. After a final check by a pharmacist, dispenses medication in a clinic, ambulatory care, dispensing window or discharge situations.
• Inventories replenished emergency carts without a second view. Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvements purposes. Operates and maintains complicated pharmacy equipment.
• Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile) without a second review. This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used.
• After prescription/order(s) are reviewed by a pharmacist for therapeutic propriety, reviews orders for technical accuracy and converts the order, if necessary, so that the item dispensed corresponds to the drug and dose ordered.
• Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution. Identifies basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention.
• Monitors refrigerator temperature daily in assigned areas.
• Conducts periodic ward inspection of clinic care areas and/or nursing medication rooms.
• Maintains, verifies, stocks and replaces outdates in patient care area automated dispensing machines.
• Assists with inventory management, maintaining stock levels and ordering of medications.
• Properly handles medications by ensuring high alert, hazardous, refrigerated and controlled substance medications are handled/stored appropriately and legally.
• Prepares medications that requires special handling and documentation.
• Assists in training for lower graded technicians and technician students.
• Performs all duties of lower graded technicians, if required.
• As deemed necessary by the pharmacy supervisor, assists in other patient care areas to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services.
• Provides pharmacy phone support with other departments and patients.
• Will maintain the medication storage areas for compliance in drug outdates for the correct storage of medication as per the Joint Commission requirements.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Work Schedule:Employees may be required to work day, evening, night, weekend , holiday and or compressed, tours on a rotating schedule. The hours may vary per the needs of the service and will rotate, on a fair and equitable basis, to include weekends and holidays.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 82275F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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:

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 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.

Certification-Documentation Submitted: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: 4 (1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR (2) National Health career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).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).

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:

Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.-SF-50 Submitted if Applicable
Certification-Documentation Submitted:. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: (a) PTCB as a CPhT. OR (b) NHA as a ExCPT.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice.
• Knowledge of preparation, storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation.
• Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment.
• Knowledge of basic inventory procedures.
• Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel

Assignments. Pharmacy technicians at the full performance level may fill orders, dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs. Duties will include delivery of medications to floors/patients, filling medications for the pharmacist to review, checking for expired medications, answering phones with appropriate disposition, preparing sterile products (when applicable) and assisting with basic inventory management such as putting up stock and identifying when medications need to be ordered.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 6.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

How you will be evaluated

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

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

• Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
• All other VA employees.
• All Other Applicants

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.