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Summary The Primary Purpose of the Position is: To provide a broad range of professional and clinical pharmacy support in a complex and geographically vast health care system. The incumbent is responsible for the receiving, assessing for appropriateness, and processing of all authorized Care in the Community prescriptions for approval by the Care in the Community clinical pharmacist. Responsibilities VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn\_ickNBEws Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Care in the Community pharmacy technician will provide a broad range of professional and clinical pharmacy support in a complex and geographically vast health care system. The incumbent is responsible for the receiving, assessing for appropriateness, and processing of all Care in the Community prescriptions for the approval by the Care in the Community clinical pharmacist. The pharmacy technician assists the Care in the Community Clinical Pharmacist in all daily tasks concerning Care in the Community prescribed prescriptions. Associate duties will fall under one of the assigned areas: Care in the Community Prescription Support, Controlled Substance Care in the Community Prescription Support, Telephone Triage and Administrative. Duties may include but are not limited to: Receives faxed, mailed, electronically prescribed, or delivered prescriptions written by Care in the Community providers (including state veterans nursing home) and documents all received prescriptions in CPRS and/or Care in the Community workflow file. Reviews Tri-west/Optum and CPRS to determine authorization of Care in the Community by the North Texas VA Healthcare System. Communicates with patients concerning prescriptions received from unauthorized provider visits and handles prescriptions appropriately, whether forwarding to primary care provider or returning to patient. Reviews authorized prescriptions for appropriateness using pharmacy technician knowledge, as well as knowledge concerning the national drug formulary and local VA formulary requirements. Accurately interprets, fills, and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and/or medical supplies for pharmacist verification of outpatient prescription orders, inpatient orders, and clinic orders as required per policy. Dispense medications to patients and/or other healthcare professionals post final verification by a pharmacist as required per policy. Respond to questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel about drug distribution. Provide patient education on topics like the refill process and relay questions outside of technician scope to the pharmacist. Assembles prescriptions properly with the correct drug, strength, quantity, auxiliary labels, and prescription labels for window dispensing and mail delivery post pharmacist verification. Follows procedures for filing medications and assures that the correct medication is filled by using bar code scanning on stock bottles. Supports automation by manually completing prescriptions not processed through the automation dispensing machine. Assures the timely completion of all prescriptions. Maintain a clean and organized work environment, ensuring that all items are stored in their designated places. Assists in training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students. Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program. Exhibit adaptability in varied circumstances to enhance group productivity. Perform duties of various technician levels, assisting as needed. Work Schedule: Tour of duty will be between the hours of 0700 and 1800 (8-hour work schedule) depending on clinic needs. Tour may be further adjusted or extended (including holiday/weekend) to meet patient care needs. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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: Ad-Hoc as determined by the service. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 51741-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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 Basic Requirements: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f). 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 (GS-07 and above): 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). National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). Grandfather Provision. A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) 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. Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician GS-08 In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-08 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07). 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). National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs: 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. Preferred Experience: 2 years of Outpatient Pharmacy Technician Experience 2 years of experience with Care in the Community prescriptions in accordance with the VA Mission Act Knowledge and experience with pharmacy information/operating systems such as VISTA, CPRS, TriWest and Optum 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: Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds Light lifting, under 15 pounds Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds Light carrying, under 15 pounds Straight pulling (5 hours) Pushing (5 hours) Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Both hands required Walking (5 hours) Standing (5 hours) Repeated bending (10 hours) Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. NOTE: If your school was accredited at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.