Pharmacy Technician (Compound Sterile Products)

The Compound Sterile Product (CPS) Pharmacy Technician is a highly specialized technician, who under the authority of the Compound Sterile Products (CSP) program manager or designee, will perform a variety of complex functions in the preparation of sterile IV products, chemotherapeutic agents, and non-hazardous products.

The incumbent is a highly specialized technician, who, under the authority of the Compound Sterile Products (CSP) program manager or designee, and responsible for the preparation of sterile products handled by pharmacy. The Compound Sterile Products pharmacy technician will perform sterile compounding functions to ensure timely and accurate patient care is provided. In addition, will comply with all regulatory requirements associated with sterile compounding. Duties are performed in the intravenous (IV) cleanroom suite, setting up sterile products for dispensing, making appropriate record entries, reviewing IV administration records, and assisting inspectors, review teams, and other staff during routine inquires and inspections.

Medication Management:
Knowledgeable in United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 797/800/795, Pharmacy Law, VHA Directives, and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
regulations as they relate to practice within the VA Healthcare System and its organizational elements to assist in management, compliance, staff
education activities, training, and room certifications. Timely awareness of changes to departmental, facility, or organizational policies.

• Performs accurate product identification, dosage calculation, compounding, and labeling of agents by assigning accurate stability and handling information utilizing package literature, written procedural guidelines and application of specialized knowledge.
• Understands specific handling considerations for storage, distribution, and disposal of medications.
• Technical working knowledge of equipment and supplies used in compounding sterile products including but not limited to admixing pumps, needles, syringes, and various compounding supplies, etc.
• Operates and maintains complex pharmacy equipment including but not limited to Omnicell /Pyxis , BD IV Prep sterile compounding automation, laminar flow hoods, biological safety cabinets, restricted access barriers, repeater pumps, etc.)
• Ensures that the sterile preparations areas are cleaned daily, and appropriate logs are completed documenting for daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning.
• Uses knowledge, skills, and abilities to resolve questionable orders or situations to ensure quality of care. Contacts pharmacists to obtain clarification for prescriptions/orders or any situation that presents a possible hazard to patient care.
• Upon completion of the order, contacts the assigned pharmacist for a final check and then delivers prepared products to the wards, clinics, or other designated areas.

Other duties (as assigned):

• After prescription/order(s) are reviewed by a pharmacist for therapeutic propriety, reviews orders for technical accuracy and converts the order, if necessary, so that the item dispensed corresponds to the drug and dose ordered.
• Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution. 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.
• Conducts periodic ward inspection of patient care areas or assigned designated areas. Performs quality assurance audits for assigned designated areas.
• Assists in total quality improvement activities by participating in medical center and service process assessment and action teams and continually seeks to improve services.

Procurement Stock and Maintenance:

• Utilize appropriate inventory measures such as just-in-time, usage rates, stock levels, contract adherence, return of expired medications, and inventory turns to limit medication waste and comply with all applicable policies.
• Manage different stock items within and outside of pharmacy automation and alerts appropriate personnel for reordering purposes or of any issues with restocking.
• Routinely monitor and report any possible drug discrepancies or diversion to appropriate supervisor or pharmacist.

Education and Administration :

• Participate in the training of other pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, PGY-1, and PGY-2 residents at Edward Hines Jr, VA Hospital.
• Interfaces with other health-care providers and administrators to ensure compliance with established pharmacy and medical center policies and procedures.
• Perform clerical or other functions as requested.

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws


Work Schedule: Full Time Mon-Fri 06:00-2:30pm
(rotating weekends and holidays off tours as needed for patient care needs)
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

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.
• Education or Experience.(1) None required.(2) For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify, equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying. The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the 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:

(1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
OR
(2) National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

• 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
• 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: 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).

Grade Determinations: Must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service; working autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties; mentoring and training lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting; assisting advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participating in performance improvement initiatives; using independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy; functioning as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated:
(a) 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.)
Note: See Specialized Area.in the Definitions Section.
(b) Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
(c) Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

Preferred Experience: Previous experience in sterile compounding medications, to include hazardous and non-hazardous medications, and oncology pharmacy sterile compounding.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08 . .

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 50 lb., and bending/stooping. Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes incumbent to communicable diseases, biohazards, hazardous chemicals, and hazardous medications common in a health care environment. Such exposure will be mitigated in accordance with local policies and operating procedures as per USP 800 standards, OSHA guidance and local risk assessment practices. Standard safety precautions and PPE are required and specified per local policies. Some work is performed in a setting away from the pharmacy where the environment cannot be controlled.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.