Clinical Pharmacist - Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Summary The clinical pharmacist provides a broad range of professional services in a complex, two-division medical center that has 305 operating beds, an active research program, and an active affiliation with the University of Kentucky. Inpatient services include functions associated with the unit-dose system of drug distribution and an expanding centralized intravenous admixture program. Outpatient services are provided to large numbers of veterans in-person and via the mailout program. Responsibilities Duties for this position include, but are not limited to the following: GS-11- Staff Pharmacist: Drug Therapy Monitoring - Drug Therapy Monitoring should be conducted by the staff pharmacists in all areas of pharmacy practice as an ongoing activity and includes an assessment of the following: the therapeutic appropriateness of the patient's drug regimen therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen - the appropriateness of route and method of administration the degree of patient compliance with the drug regimen drug/drug, drug/food, drug/laboratory, or drug/disease interactions clinical and laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy Pharmacist Intervention - relevant findings from drug therapy monitoring activities must be communicated to other healthcare professionals who are responsible for the patient's care in order to increase the effectiveness and minimize potential risks of drug therapy. In consultation with prescribers, the interpretation of such data will generally stimulate staff pharmacist recommendations for revision of drug therapy plans Adverse Drug Events - Staff pharmacists are responsible for detecting monitoring and reporting adverse drug events Drug Utilization Review/Quality Assurance - Staff pharmacists participate in conducting DUE studies and departmental quality assurance activities The staff pharmacist is responsible for the safe and appropriate distribution or dispensing of medications within the Pharmacy Service unit dose, ward stock, IV admixture, and ambulatory care medication management systems. Prefilled outpatient prescriptions, unit dose prepackaging and outpatient prepackaging completed by pharmacy technicians will always be checked for accuracy by a licensed pharmacist prior to dispensing GS-12 - Clinical Pharmacist: Drug Therapy Monitoring - Drug Therapy Monitoring should be conducted by the staff pharmacists in all areas of pharmacy practice as an ongoing activity and includes an assessment of the following: the therapeutic appropriateness of the patient's drug regimen therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen - the appropriateness of route and method of administration the degree of patient compliance with the drug regimen drug/drug, drug/food, drug/laboratory, or drug/disease interactions clinical and laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy variation from organizational criteria for use guidelines/provision of cost-effective care double-check for potential errors with look-alike/sound-alike drug pairs per local policy monitor controlled substance utilization when processing new/renewal orders and intervene where abuse potential is demonstrated medication reconciliation and patient education as appropriate other relevant medication-related issues or concerns Responsible for detecting, monitoring, and reporting adverse drug events and medication errors Evaluates medication orders and medication profiles for appropriateness of therapy; dosage range, synergistic, antagonistic, and cumulative effects, reviewing questionable medication orders with the prescribing providers when necessary Provides consultation and education to physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals on drug information Ensures that the patient is able to understand mediation instruction by providing oral and written counseling on his/her drug therapy Provides care appropriate to the age of the patients served - female and geriatric are target populations with special needs and have been identified requiring population-specific competencies Responsible for the safe, accurate, and appropriate distribution or dispensing of medications within the medical center Ensures all prescriptions coming from Non-VA providers are processed, working with the providers, patient, and other services to ensure timely delivery of these services with Pharmacy Service Policy Shares a mutual responsibility with other healthcare practitioners for providing drug-related patient educations and counseling - using suitable oral, written, or audiovisual communication techniques and methods, he/she will inform, educate, and counsel patients about their drug therapy in order to maximize proper use of medication and, therefore, improve therapeutic outcomes Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts, Sunday - Saturday Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: GS-11 30558F | GS-12 30334F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications 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: Citizenship - Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) Education - Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone: (312) 664-3575, or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT). Licensure - Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16. NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification. Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment. 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: GS-11 Pharmacist Experience, Education, and Licensure - None beyond the basic requirements Assignment - Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education - In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or Successful completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm D. program Assignment - A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations. These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: Successful Complete of PGY-1 Residency 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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: Work may involve prolonged standing, walking, bending, stooping, transportation of good from pharmacy to pharmacy, and lifting of weights up to 40 pounds. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.