Pharmacy Technician

Veterans Health Administration • Hines, IL

5d • Onsite

About The Position

This position functions primarily in the inpatient care areas and Pharmacy Service at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, with potential service to community-based outpatient clinics, satellite locations, and ambulatory care locations. The Pharmacy Technician performs medication and pharmaceutical-product filling, dispensing, procurement, storage, preparation, review, distribution, and control for patients, inpatient and outpatient treatment units, and research investigators. The work directly affects the health of inpatients and outpatients.

The technician interprets prescriptions, selects and measures the prescribed medication, labels it, and records required information. Following a pharmacist’s final check, the technician dispenses medication in ambulatory-care or discharge situations. Duties also include preparing and reviewing unit-dose medications, replenishing emergency carts, compounding or reconstituting non-sterile medications, reviewing orders for technical accuracy after pharmacist review, and monitoring and replenishing inventory. The position requires understanding USP 795, USP 797, and USP 800 requirements, hazardous-material disposal, safe medication distribution, and electronic prescription processing. Sterile compounding of parenteral medications, including hazardous and chemotherapy medications, may be required when needed for patient care; competency and compliance with applicable standards and procedures are required.

The technician may assist other patient-care areas, including outpatient pharmacy services, as needed, though the primary assignment and schedule are in inpatient pharmacy services. Inpatient duties may include aseptic admixture preparation, automated and on-demand ward-stock replenishment, operation and maintenance of automated prepackaging, storage, and dispensing equipment, controlled-substance request assembly and documentation, and packaging single-unit-of-use medications.

The position also involves inventory management and restocking, completing mandatory training, participating in the training of pharmacy technicians, students, and residents, sorting and distributing incoming contents, packaging mail, and performing clerical or other assigned functions. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday, 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., with rotating weekends and holidays off tours as needed for patient-care needs. Telework is not authorized, and the position is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• For GS-07, at least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06), federal or non-federal.
• For GS-07 and above, 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); a copy of certification must be provided.
• For GS-07, demonstrate knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts, and theories sufficient for sound independent work.
• For GS-07, demonstrate knowledge of computerized prescription processing and entry of prescriptions and medication orders or their electronic equivalent.
• For GS-07, demonstrate the ability to resolve pharmacy or medication issues with healthcare-team members, Veterans, and external customers.
• For GS-07, demonstrate the ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
• For GS-07, demonstrate the ability to dispense medication or sterile products in compliance with regulations, policies, and procedures for safe distribution.
• For GS-07, demonstrate the ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment or technology platforms and databases.
• Pass a pre-employment physical examination and, if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position, a urinalysis drug screen.
• Register with Selective Service if applicable to males born after 12/31/1959.
• Complete required background and security investigation, online onboarding, and application documentation; provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the stated VA evaluation and certification conditions.
• Observe safety precautions when working with drugs and chemicals and in areas with potential exposure to communicable diseases or hazardous and toxic agents.

Nice To Haves

• Prior inpatient pharmacy experience.
• Prior compounding experience.

Responsibilities

• Read and interpret prescriptions; select, measure, label, and document medications and materials as prescribed.
• Dispense medications in ambulatory-care or discharge situations after a pharmacist’s final check.
• Perform final review of unit-dose medications prepared by another technician, fill unit-dose carts independently when necessary, and distribute medications to inpatient areas.
• Inventory and replenish emergency carts with appropriate medications and supplies.
• Compound or reconstitute non-sterile oral or external medications, including calculating and converting weights and measures.
• Review orders for technical accuracy after pharmacist review and make necessary conversions so the dispensed item corresponds to the ordered drug and dose.
• Monitor inventory needs in inpatient care areas; relay needs to appropriate Pharmacy personnel; store, rotate, and remove or replace outdated stock.
• Perform sterile compounding of parenteral medications, including hazardous and chemotherapy medications, when required for patient care, and meet competency and compliance requirements.
• Assist other patient-care areas, including outpatient pharmacy services, as needed to maintain pharmacy services.
• Perform inpatient pharmacy work such as aseptic admixture preparation, ward-stock replenishment, operating and maintaining automated equipment, documenting controlled-substance requests, and packaging single-unit-of-use medications.
• Manage inventory using measures such as usage rates, stock levels, contract adherence, returns of expired medications, and inventory turns to limit waste and comply with policies.
• Manage stock inside and outside pharmacy automation, alert appropriate personnel about reordering or restocking issues, and restock assigned stations before shift end.
• Complete mandatory facility training and document compliance within established timelines.
• Participate in training pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, and PGY-1 and PGY-2 residents.
• Open and sort incoming distribution contents, direct them to appropriate areas, package mail according to the applicable mailing system, and perform clerical or other assigned functions.
• Plan and complete tasks according to protocols, standard operating procedures, instructions, and accepted pharmacy practices.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits eligibility depends on position type, and applicants are directed to contact the hiring agency for details.
• Selected applicants may request consideration of prior federal or military service for annual-leave accrual credit; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed