Lead Pharmacy Technician - (Unit Dose)
What you'd do
The primary responsibility of the GS 8 Lead Pharmacy Technician is to assist pharmacy supervisors in quality improvement activities by participating in medical center and service process assessment and action teams and continually seeks to improve services within the Pharmacy at the Clement J. Zablocki VAMC in Milwaukee, WI.
Major duties
Major Duties of the GS 8 Lead Pharmacy Technician include but are not limited to: Assess workload volume throughout the day, identify backlogs, and makes staffing adjustments as needed to meet organizational goals. Identify areas of duplication of efforts and develop solutions to streamline processes, reduce waste, cost savings, and improve patient care. Responsible for organizing and assisting the pharmacy technician team to ensure assigned tasks are timely and accurately completed for their program area. Coordinates day-to-day maintenance and operation of pharmacy area equipment and automation. Promotes harmonious relationships within the work environment and support the needs of the team and customers. Listens to informal complaints of employees and other customers in a helpful and timely fashion. If not able to remedy a situation, the lead will notify the pharmacy supervisor. Assists in training and orientating new and existing pharmacy technicians and students on policy and procedures. Identify and reports developmental and training needs to ensure safety and quality control for their program area. Develops training schedules and assists in maintaining documentation for all pharmacy technicians and students. Effectively evaluates pharmacy activities to assist management to obtain short- and long-range objectives and goals. Conducts technician meetings to ensure proper updates of departmental and hospital communications. Assists in the development of policies and procedures and participate in departmental goal planning and quality improvement activities. Maintains competence by participating in staff development programs. Serves as on-line back up to other pharmacy technicians within the designated area of pharmacy. Quality and Regulatory Duties Assists in preparation of national, local, and special accreditations of pharmacy service. (Joint Commission, Inspector General, Controlled Substance Inspections, Drug Enforcement Agency) This includes documentation record updates, development of specific training and preparation of staff and compliance of policy and procedures. Proactively evaluates and analyzes data for self-driven (independent) performance improvement projects, workload analysis and statistical reports. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full Time 7:30 am - 4:00 am with rotating weekends and federal holidays. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 101963F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English Certification: must 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). 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). A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification 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: Pharmacy Technician GS-8 Must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Mentoring and training lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. Assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives. Uses independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy. Functions as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of a pharmacy, including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations, with minimal oversight In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of following technical Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) 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.) 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. References: VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 8.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS 8. Physical Requirements: Work is performed primarily in the inpatient pharmacy and outpatient care areas, where there is a potential for exposure to communicable diseases. Such areas are adequately heated and ventilated, and safety precautions are required. In some cases, dealing with anti-neoplastic drugs may expose the incumbent to hazardous and toxic agents. The incumbent works with drugs/chemicals and must exercise precautions to avoid accidental contact to the skin, eyes, and lungs.
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