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The Quality Assurance Pharmacy Technician Specialist is responsible for providing safety and quality management guidance and accountability across the Inpatient Pharmacy Service. Functions as a pharmacy technician with duties assigned by the supervisor, as needed, or as assigned, by another member of Pharmacy management staff. 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. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacy technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Education or Experience. A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience. GS5 and above: Education or Experience. Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree that included at least 24 semester hours of courses related to pharmacy or pharmacy technology; successful completion of pertinent specialized training courses in pharmaceutical and pharmacy services while serving in the Armed Forces is creditable on a month-for-month basis up to the 1 year of experience required for the GS-5 level; or at least 1 year of experience at the next lower level that demonstrates the core competencies (KSAs) described at the GS-4 level. Certification: Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. **** NOTE: Please submit certification with application to be qualified for the position. **** 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). GS6 KSAs 1. Ability to solve problems and make recommendations, e.g., troubleshoot operational problems and refer for appropriate action. 2. Knowledge of the operation and care of automated equipment. 3. Knowledge of, and ability to follow, written instructions for compounding with aseptic technique for hazardous materials such as oncology agents. 4. Knowledge, and ability to perform, compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products. 5. Knowledge of policies and procedures for inventory management in specialized areas such as emergency carts. 6. Knowledge of the computerized prescription process demonstrated by the ability to input prescriptions and medication orders. Grade Determinations: GS-07 PHARMACY TECHNICIAN NOTE: WORK PERFORMED MUST BE WELL DOCUMENTED AND DETAILED IN RESUME TO BE QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION. HR WILL NOT MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. ****Make sure you have employment dates (month and year), elaborate on your job duties. Experience. One year experience at the next lower level GS6 and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): *1. Ability to evaluate, analyze workflow, and coordinate work activities. 2. Ability to independently gather, evaluate, and analyze data to generate reports and/or for other projects/statistical purposes. 3. Knowledge of pharmacy policies and procedures sufficient to train and orient new employees and other staff 4. Comprehensive knowledge of the operation and care of specialized pharmaceutical equipment. 5. Comprehensive knowledge of the procurement and formulary process. 6. Comprehensive knowledge of investigational drug policies and procedures. 7. Comprehensive knowledge of controlled substance policies and procedures, and the ability to identify and investigate discrepancies in these policies and procedures. 8. Comprehensive knowledge of, and ability to, analyze data in VA information systems. Preferred Experience: Inpatient Pharmacy technician experience, Lead Pharmacy Technician experience, quality Improvement experience and Lean Six Sigma Training. Assignments: Pharmacy technicians at this grade level may be assigned as a supervisor; lead technician in a particular area of the pharmacy; a controlled substance technician; an investigational drug technician; a procurement/inventory management technician; a clinical pharmacy technician; or similar assignment with this level of complexity. The GS-7 level is for select, complex pharmacy technician positions, as established by each health care facility. To be advanced, employees must meet all of the following standards, provided the standard is part of their assignment. Determinations concerning placement of positions at this grade level shall take into consideration the skill mix and the availability of supervision in the work unit. Although these positions are under the supervision of a pharmacist, employees in such settings successfully and consistently demonstrate the exercise of independent technical judgment (without the need for readily available supervision) as well as comprehensive and thorough working knowledge of the most complex or difficult practices and procedures. Such individuals may also serve as leaders or co-leaders in a Pharmacy Service or for a specific unit or section. References: VA Handbook 5005/15 Part II Appendix G28 Physical Requirements: (1) The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the duties of this position. (2) The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, frequent twisting/turning, and bending/stooping. (3) Frequent manipulation of IV preparation will require repeated dexterity exertion with pressure up to 20 pounds. (4) The incumbent must be able to perform lifting/carrying, pushing, or pulling different types of equipment such as cabinets, carts or supplies weighing at minimum 50 pounds through various terrains. ["Although these positions are under the supervision of a pharmacist, employees in such settings successfully and consistently demonstrate the exercise of independent technical judgment (without the need for readily available supervision) as well as comprehensive and thorough working knowledge of the most complex or difficult practices and procedures. Such individuals may also serve as leaders or co-leaders in a Pharmacy Service or for a specific unit or section. Monitors pharmacy staff trainings are maintained and documented with acceptable skills & competency and trains all incoming inpatient pharmacy technicians and student technicians on procedures and policies. Performs periodic quality assurance checks to ensure continued survey readiness of Pharmacy Service operations Evaluates compliance with accepted standards mandated by auditing & accrediting agencies. Performs follow-up quality assurance reviews, such as monthly override reports, expiration checking, and periodic ward & clinic inspections to validate inspection results performed by pharmacy personnel within the Hospital. Notifies unit supervisors of deficiencies needing corrected; obtaining a timeline for completion. Compiles Joint Commission and OIG reports, such as non-controlled substance audit reports, as required by Chief, Pharmacy Services. Reports inspection and/or OIG deficiencies to the Chief, Pharmacy Services &/or the Pharmacy Supervisors for follow-up corrective action if needed. Serves as disinterested party responsible for the reconciliation of destructions in VISTA following monthly reverse distributor destructions. Fills unit dose carts, and ward stock medications independently to be delivered to patients' areas of use, including controlled substance, hazardous listed medications, chemotherapy medications. Fills first dose orders for dispensing to inpatient areas. Ensures all first dose, unit dose cart fills, and ward stock fills are checked, per policy, prior to delivery to patient care areas. Prepares inpatient drug orders including all medicinal dosage forms such as chemotherapy, intravenous admixtures, oral solids, etc., per established procedures and protocols as assigned under aseptic technique. Inventories and replenishes emergency crash carts and other portable emergency kits as required. Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes as required. Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral/external medications (non-sterile). This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used. Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution processes. Identifies basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention. Assists in total quality improvement activities by participating in Hospital and service process assessment and action teams and continually seeks to improve services. Maintains, verifies, stocks, and replaces outdates in patient care area automated machines. Monitors inventory needs in patient care areas, relays this information to the appropriate Pharmacy personnel. This also includes placing stock in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves, and removing/replacing outdated items. Maintains a training/education manual for the focus area assigned. Performs all the duties of lower graded technicians or clerks in the pharmacy, as required. Inpatient services may include such areas as aseptic admixture preparation including cytotoxic agents, automatic and on-demand ward stock replenishment, maintenance and operation of automated prepackaging storage and dispensing equipment, assembly and documentation of controlled substance requests, and properly packaging with documentation of single unit of use medications. Assists in other patient care areas (including outpatient and clinical pharmacy) to maintain consistency of overall pharmacy services. The incumbent works under the direction of the Pharmacy Inpatient Technician Supervisor, but as part of the Pharmacy team the incumbent functions under the general supervision of pharmacists. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 6:00am-2:30pm, 7:00am-3:30pm, rotating weekends, holidays and evenings as needed for patient care."]

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