Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This position is open to the Public.

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

The Clinical Pharmacy Technician shall provide support for clinical operations of facility clinical pharmacists. All duties of the CPhT will be performed under the supervision of the assigned Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP).

Basic:
- Evaluate and analyze the workflow to coordinate activities in support of clinical pharmacist practitioners.
- Understand and apply Medical Center policies and procedures.
- Interact directly with patients and family members to support clinic activities.
- Communicate effectively with members of the healthcare team and stakeholders across the system.
- Process medication refills upon request and assists with troubleshooting and tracking prescriptions as needed.

Administrative:
- Provide clinic support by faxing and mailing, and preparation of teaching materials, medication reconciliation, and other pharmacy related communication.
- Assists with scheduling future lab orders, follow-up appointments, and missed appointments.
- Review clinic consults on a routine basis to schedule new patients for enrollment in clinic.
- Triage telephone calls from patients, family members, and/or caregivers to address a variety of issues, evaluate the problem, and provide an appropriate solution or refer the problem expeditiously to the pharmacist when the problem is beyond the technician's level of knowledge or expertise.
- Update and maintain the Anticoagulation Clinic Database

Clinical:
- Receive and triage lab results faxed from the community.
- Document labs values in CPRS
- Addresses INRs under the supervision of the CPP and determine follow-up intervals for patients on warfarin.
- Contacts patients to obtain and document vital signs (i.e., home blood pressure readings, home glucose readings) and triage abnormal readings to the appropriate clinical team member.
- Provide patient education on pharmacy topics including prescription refills, patient rights and responsibilities and provides education specific to clinic procedures.
- Obtains and documents an up-to-date medication list and relevant medication history.
- Document communication with patients in the electronic medical record.
- Notify pharmacist of issues related to pharmacotherapy, including duplication, medication compliance, allergies, or adverse reactions, and out of range labs or health factors which are identified through patient communication or medical record review.
- Supports the non-formulary and prior authorization drug review process.
- Reviews population health dashboards or reports to identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive medication management.
- Places return to clinic orders for clinical pharmacy appointments for follow-up.
- Places orders for CPP verification.

Quality Improvement:
- Monitor clinic records for patients who fail to show for scheduled appointments and initiate reminders to ensure continuum of care.
- Evaluate and analyze data from anticoagulation clinic database to generate periodic quality assessment reports for submission to the anticoagulation program manager.
- Generate reports from population health dashboards as assigned and communicate findings to CPP

Work Schedule: 7:30am-4:00pm Monday-Friday
Telework: Ad-Hoc, As agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position

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.
• Education or Experience: A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience.
• 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).

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 and demonstrate the KSAs below.

Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:

• PTCB as a CPhT. OR
• NHA as a 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: Strong customer service skills, Strong organizational skills. Clinical pharmacy experience strongly preferred.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS08.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily physical, and demands standing, walking, bending/stooping/stretching, twisting, and lifting/carrying items up to 40 lbs (and at times may be more).

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Professional Certification
• Resume

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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