Pharmacy Technician (Inpatient) - Palo Alto, CA - Overview Summary This announcement will remain open until the end of the calendar year. All qualified applications will be forwarded to the selecting official for a review based on the hiring needs of the service. A selection may be made at any time during the open period of the announcement. OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans? The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) consists of three inpatient facilities located at Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Livermore, plus seven outpatient clinics in San Jose, Fremont, Capitola, Monterey, Stockton, Modesto, and Sonora. These facilities provide some of the world's finest medical care and cutting-edge technology. VAPAHCS is a teaching hospital with an affiliation with the Stanford University School of Medicine which provides a rich academic environment including medical training for physicians in virtually all specialties and subspecialties. Our Health Care System operates over 800 beds, including three nursing homes and a 100-bed homeless domiciliary - all to serve more than 67,000 enrolled Veterans. You can learn more about VAPAHCS by visiting - Current VA and/or Federal employees should apply under - . Current VA and/or Federal employees must submit their SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, at the time of application. 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 the VA. In addition, any offer of employment will be rescinded with a verified positive drug test result. VA employees in drug testing designated position are also subject to post appointment random drug testing. NOTE: Declining to be interviewed, failure to respond/accept interview attempts, or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a declination for further consideration for employment against this vacancy. Duties Work Schedule: Full-Time, various shifts This Pharmacy provides pharmaceutical care services to our 300-bed acute care hospital division (Intensive Care Units, OR/Recovery Room, Medicine, Surgery, Sub-Acute Medicine/Long Term Care, Hospice, Spinal Cord Injury, Polytrauma, Psychiatry, Emergency Department) with centralized operation for Unit Dose, Ward Stocking and Sterile Compounding medication preparation and dispensing. We have a fully integrated computer system including online provider order entry, documentation of medication administration using barcode technology, and automation of the unit dose distribution system. These technicians will assist in providing distributive pharmacy services to patients at the Palo Alto Acute Care Division. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to: - Unit Dose Responsibilities: filling and delivering new, STAT or missing medication orders; restocking point of care machines; performing cart-fills and cart exchange; replenishing crash cart medications and emergency kits; repackaging bulk items (oral solids and liquids); replenishing pharmacy automation (Robot Rx, Med Carousel, PacMed); performing optimization of automation; and conducting monthly ward/clinic inspections. - Sterile Compounding Responsibilities: preparing IV admixtures, piggybacks, syringes, TPN/PPN, and chemotherapy doses based on patient specific orders using sterile technique in the laminar flow hood in accordance with USP 797; performing all necessary pharmaceutical calculations; and cleaning and restocking the IV room. - $54,526 $70,877 Job Details Application Open Date 5/4/2018 Application Close Date 12/31/2018 Organization Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Who May Apply None Status None - More About VA - Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (3 hours); Standing (4 hours); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted). It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. United States Citizenship Required; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. 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. If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process - Qualifications - Basic Requirements: - U.S. citizenship. Non-citizens may 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. - Certification: National Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. - English Language Proficiency: Applicants appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Chapter 2, Section D, paragraph 5a. - Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation 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 required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: t - Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. - Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. - 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 re-appointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. - 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. - If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. ¸¸? 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Preferred Experience: Experience working in a complex, multidisciplinary health care organization. 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-6 Experience: One year experience at the next lower level, and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): - Ability to solve problems and make recommendations, e.g., troubleshoot operational problems and refer for appropriate action. - Knowledge of the operation and care of automated equipment. - Knowledge of, and ability to follow, written instructions for compounding with aseptic technique for hazardous materials such as oncology agents. - Knowledge, and ability to perform, compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products. - Knowledge of policies and procedures for inventory management in specialized areas such as emergency carts. - Knowledge of the computerized prescription process demonstrated by the ability to input prescriptions and medication orders. Assignments. Pharmacy technicians may be assigned to any area of the pharmacy including expanded distributive function assignments; for example assignment as team leaders for specific process improvement teams involving technical areas or performing more highly complex duties including preparation of oncology agents for clinical pharmacy specialists. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standards Appendix G28. This can be http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdf.