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

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 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
• 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-13 Experience
• In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• Assignments
• Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
• The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice - works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients
• A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate - modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services
• This includes - but is not limited to - the following: designing - implementing - assessing - monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective - least toxic and most economical medication treatments
• helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients - providers - and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas
• performing physical assessments
• and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area
• Ability to solve problems - coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies - including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters
• Preferred Experience: Candidates for the Float Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) position should possess the skills outlined above with specific experience in primary care chronic disease management
• Candidates should have recent experience in a current or previous job (including residency training) that includes direct patient care and comprehensive medication management responsibilities
• Preferred candidates will have an advanced pharmacy degree (Pharm.D) - board certification (BPS) - PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency - or equivalent experience or mentorship
• 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-13
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work are generally minor
• The work is primarily sedentary in nature and usually occurs within climate controlled clinical and administrative settings
• Use of fingers may be required to operate computers
• There may be occasional light lifting/carrying (15 pounds or less) requirements to relocate boxed materials from one area to another - equipment and room set-up - and ambulation related to physical inspections of the facilities.

Duties

• The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice - works independently under their individual scope of practice to directly care for patients
• A CPS functions as a member of their assigned team(s) and serves as an advanced practice provider to initiate - modify - or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services
• Functions of the Position Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice: Core functions include face-to-face and virtual patient care (e.g. - telephone visits - tele-health - and other virtual modalities) with PACT team or anticoagulation patients - for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual SOP including - but not limited to - diabetes - hypertension - hyperlipidemia - smoking cessation - anticoagulation - and osteoporosis
• Functions as a mid-level provider to design - implement - and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas
• Orders - performs - reviews - and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy
• Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy - i.e
• changes in medication therapy - monitoring - and additional testing requirements
• Clinical pharmacist practitioners will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs - or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPP scope of practice
• Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities Identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive medication management (CMM) through population management reports and during team huddles
• Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness - drug selection - dosing - contraindications - side effects - potential drug interactions - and therapeutic outcomes as required
• Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed
• Monitor and report drug errors - adverse drug reactions - allergies - and patient compliance issues
• Documents findings per facility procedures
• Obtains medication histories from patients and/or caregivers/appropriate surrogates and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate
• Education and Research Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists - pharmacy technicians - pharmacy students - pharmacy residents - and other staff on assigned teams
• Is skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others
• Serves as preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established policies
• Assists in new employee orientation - competency assessments - and mentoring as required
• Drug Information Serves as an authority on drug usage - interactions - over-dosages - and compliance - to medical staff - nursing staff - technicians - and students
• Uses appropriate references to research drug information
• Has a good working knowledge of information resources - both written and electronic
• Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management
• Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers
• Program Management Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested
• Adheres to all medical center and department policies and regulations
• Manages information security within areas of responsibility to assure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained - and that employee access to sensitive information is limited only to that which the employee requires to perform their duties
• Takes action as necessary to report and address violations of information security
• Other pharmacy related duties as needed to help fulfill our mission and abide by our organization's values
• Work Schedule: 0730 - 1600
• Varies based on the needs of the service
• Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Monique.Head@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized