Qualifications

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
• 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) OR National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT) English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by38 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 Grade Determinations: Specialized Experience GS-07: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• Examples of specialized experience may include but are not limited to: 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
• 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 Your resume must demonstrate this experience or you will be found ineligible Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service