Pharmacy Technician

Job Summary:

Job Type: Full-time, Temporary/Contract Staffing

This position requires a commitment to quality patient care and effective medication management, in line with VA standards and practices.

As a Pharmacy Technician, you will be responsible for assisting pharmacists in dispensing medication, preparing compounded sterile products, and supporting the operation of automated and manual pharmacy equipment. You will work closely with the healthcare team to ensure that all medication orders are processed accurately and efficiently, and maintain the highest standards of safety and compliance.

Work hours may consist of the following 8-12 hr. tours with a minimum of a 12-hour rest period between shifts. Staff will be expected for weekend and holiday coverage. Lunch times of 30 minutes and break times will be determined pending daily workload demands.

Primary Responsibilities:

General Duties:

• Medication Preparation & Dispensing: Accurately prepare, package, label, and dispense prescription medications, including sterile compounded products and bulk prescriptions. Ensure the correct dosage, drug, and supplies are provided.
• Inventory Management: Maintain accurate inventories, rotate stock, check expiration dates, and replenish medications as needed. Ensure all medications are stored according to required standards.
• Pharmacy Automation Operations: Operate pharmacy automation systems including Med Carousel, ScriptPro, Omnicell, and Pick Point. Perform preventative maintenance, including cleaning and making minor equipment adjustments.
• Patient & Staff Communication: Answer telephone calls from patients and healthcare professionals, respond to medication inquiries, and document interactions in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Provide accurate information to patients and staff regarding prescriptions, including handling expired, deleted, or unavailable drugs.
• Compliance & Documentation: Maintain proper documentation for all prescriptions, including original prescriptions, patient profiles, and related records in accordance with federal regulations and VA policies. Ensure the safe handling of hazardous materials and waste.
• Prescription Processing: Process refill requests, create prescription labels, and manage medication orders for travel and delivery to Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) or other VA facilities.
• Clinical Support: Support pharmacists in verifying and processing medication orders, managing drug supply replenishment, and preparing medication for bubble packing for long-term care facilities.
• Inspection & Quality Control: Perform inspections of assigned areas (e.g., outpatient clinics, emergency rooms, inpatient pharmacy) to ensure proper stock rotation, expiration date checks, and proper medication handling. Quarantine expired medications and document actions taken.
• Patient Safety: Verify patient identity using two identifiers, ensuring patient confidentiality and safety in all interactions and dispensing practices.

Outpatient Pharmacy Duties:

• Assemble prescriptions with the correct drug, strength, quantity, auxiliary labels, and prescription labels for window dispensing and mail delivery.
• Ensure that the correct medication is filled by using barcode scanning on stock bottles.
• Manually complete prescriptions that are not processed through the automation dispensing machine.
• Verify the patient's identification according to the Medical Center's policies (i.e., double patient identifiers).
• Utilize VA software programs to check narratives and resolve delivery issues for patients with no physical address.
• Assist the Hometown Pharmacist with CMOP reject reports and reprint or re-submit labels to CMOP once stock availability is confirmed.
• Monitor MEDS ON ADMISSION and DISCHARGE MEDICATIONS. If the patient is still in the hospital or has been released, arrange for medications to be mailed or destroyed based on CPRS notes and guidance from a pharmacist.

Inpatient Pharmacy Duties:

• Sterile Product Compounding: Follow USP 797/800 guidelines for compounding all sterile preparations, including ophthalmic, cardioplegic, TPN, hazardous, and IV solutions (large and small volumes). Manufacture uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures for delivery in forms such as infusion syringes or other required formats.
• Interpretation & Preparation: Correctly interpret physician orders, select and measure appropriate ingredients, mix ingredients safely and effectively, inspect the final product for accuracy, and label the product. Maintain records of the manufacturing process and supply the product for pharmacist verification.
• Aseptic Technique & Quality Assurance: Follow proper aseptic preparation techniques when compounding sterile products and consistently demonstrate competence with good manufacturing practices.
• Review & Verification: Perform a review of medications prepared by another pharmacy employee to be dispensed to hospital areas.
• Emergency Trays & Replenishment: Inventory and replenish emergency trays as needed. Operate and maintain automated dispensing unit dose systems.
• Packaging & Labeling: Inspect packaged items for accuracy and suitability before submitting for final pharmacist check. Ensure repackaged dosage forms are labeled according to USP and VA standards.
• Equipment Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot minor mechanical issues with automated systems and coordinate the resolution of more complex problems with the Supervisor, vendor help desk, or ADPAC.
• Inventory Management: Communicate with procurement and Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) to address inventory needs and resolve medication shortages.
• Prescription Interpretation & Preparation: Accurately interpret prescriptions and prepare medications for pharmacist verification.

Minimum Qualifications:

Qualifications:

• Certified by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)
• Minimum 1 year of experience in a hospital pharmacy setting, with a focus on sterile IV compounding
• Graduation from an Academic Pharmacy Technician Training Program
• High school diploma or GED
• Basic mathematical, typing, and computer skills
• Ability to stand or sit for long periods of time (8-10 hours), stoop, reach, and perform repetitive motions
• Fluency in English (reading, writing, speaking)
• Experience with pharmacy automation equipment (e.g., Med Carousel, Omnicell) is preferred
• Knowledge of hazardous materials handling and safety protocols
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal and external customers
• Ability to follow instructions and work under supervision in a dynamic healthcare environment

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand, sit, stoop, and perform repetitive motions for extended periods.
• Ability to lift, carry, and move light to moderate objects as required for inventory management and medication handling.

About Aptive:

Arrow ARC supports Veterans Health Administration facilities and offices across the U.S. with health care staffing and program support via the 10-year Integrated Critical Staffing Program (ICSP). We provide staffing solutions to address critical shortages in VHA medical facilities caused by turnover, recruitment issues, seasonal needs, surges or emergencies.

Arrow is a certified Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business joint venture between Artemis ARC and Aptive Resources, two award-winning companies that share an agile, mission-focused, results driven approach in the federal sector. Arrow provides management consulting services and specializes in working with federal government agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs and Office of Personnel Management.

EEO Statement:

Aptive is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran status, age, disability, or any other protected class.

Veterans, members of the Reserve and National Guard, and transitioning active-duty service members are highly encouraged to apply.