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
Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
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).
Grandfathering Provision. Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard 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.
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
GRADE REQUIREMENTS
Pharmacy Technician, GS-07
- Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower (GS-6) grade level.
- Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
- The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board as a CPhT. Or,
- The National Healthcareer Association as a ExCPT.
- Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work.
- Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent.
- Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers.
- Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
- Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution.
- Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.
*** Preferred Experience *** Previous pharmacy technician experience in an outpatient setting.
This position is above Full Performance Level.
Reference. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements. The work requires some physical exertion such as long periods of standing, walking, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items. Standing and walking could include periods of up to 60 minutes which can include escorting patients throughout the facility. Lifting could include items up to 40 pounds.