Career Center

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 Proficiency
• Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
• 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 2 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
• 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
• 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
• 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 Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs): 1
• Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice
• 2
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff
• 3
• Knowledge of laws - regulations - and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security
• 4
• Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies - including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters
• 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: Light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs.) - moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 lbs.) - reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - both hands - standing - ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously - near vision correctable at 13" to 15" to Jaeger 1 to 4 - and ability to distinguish shades of colors
• Environmental factors include dry atmospheric conditions - constant noise - working closely with others - and working alone.

Duties

• Clinical Monitors therapy on an ongoing basis to assess therapeutic outcomes - adverse drug reactions - allergies - and compliance
• Analyzes laboratory data and recognizes significant abnormalities to rule out drug interferences
• Appropriately refers patients to primary - specialty care or emergency room
• Adjusts medications by discontinuing and/or generating new/renewed prescriptions for items other than Controlled Substances according to scope of practice and established protocols
• Reviews available medication profiles for appropriateness - contraindications to drug use - adverse effects - relevant laboratory data - evidence of drug use/misuse/abuse - compliance - patient education needs - therapeutic duplication - poly-pharmacy - allergies - adverse drug reactions - drug-drug interactions - drug-food interactions - and cost-optimization
• Identifies drug-induced problems that may be affecting the patient and communicates these findings to the patient's primary care provider
• Education Assesses and provides for the educational needs of the patient and family to help ensure that pharmaceutical outcome goals are met with consideration to age - gender - and cultural needs
• Provides patient education on medications
• Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists - pharmacy technicians - pharmacy students - pharmacy residents - and other medical center personnel as required
• Serves as an authoritative information source on medication and their uses
• Remains current on all available clinical resources
• Uses appropriate references to research drug information
• Administrative and Supervisory Responsible for the daily operational status of the various aspects of the pharmacy programs
• Prioritizes work and makes administrative decisions when pharmacy leadership is not available - or in instances where immediate decisions are required
• Pharmacy Service Policy and Procedures - VA Regulation and state and federal Pharmacy laws will serve as operational guidance
• Responsible for the operational management of ancillary staff in the daily performance of the distributive functions within the service
• Responsible for the day-to-day operational effectiveness of the pharmacy program to which assigned
• Responsible for assuring that all aspects of drug control - drug accountability - and drug security are in accordance with local medical center policies and other applicable VA - Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) - State and Federal regulations
• Dispensing/Drug Distribution Responsible for the safe and appropriate distribution or dispensing of medications and medical supplies using the Pharmacy Service ward stock - automated dispensing systems - and ambulatory care medication management systems
• Pharmacist verifies prefilled outpatient prescriptions and outpatient/inpatient prepacking completed by pharmacy technicians for accuracy prior to dispensing
• Dispenses controlled and non-controlled medications with accuracy according to current policies and procedures
• Operates and provides routine stocking and maintenance of automated dispensing devices and software to facilitate timely and accurate pharmacy dispensing
• Quality Assurance and Improvement Provides meaningful data to analyze the effectiveness of pharmacy initiatives/services and reporting practices
• Participates in the Medication Use Evaluation (MUE) process by assisting in the identification of problem areas - development of evaluation criteria - analysis of findings - and recommendation of corrective action(s) and follow-up to be taken
• Documents cost avoidance and savings realized through pharmaceutical care interventions
• Centralized Ambulatory Care Responsible for assisting in monitoring of medication stock levels and ordering of medications
• Responsible for dispensing of both non-controlled and controlled substances when assigned
• Interprets DEA and VA controlled substances policies for the Pharmacy Service and assures compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations
• Controlled Substances Responsible for inventory control of all controlled substances
• Conducts required total inventory counts
• Responsible for all DEA designated controlled substances approved for use in the Medical Center
• Must be familiar with the accountability for DEA and VA requirements governing receipt - storage - and distribution of controlled substances
• Reports all incidences of suspected theft or diversion of control substances in accordance with established healthcare system policies and procedures and VA and Federal regulations
• Work Schedule: 8AM - 4:30PM - Monday - Friday Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHAEDRPProgramSupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized