This Clinical Pharmacist will provide a broad range of professional and clinical pharmacy services in a geographically vast, highly rural medical center. The incumbent will be responsible for the pharmacy care in the CBOCs including but not limited to Community Care, the Non-VA Care, and the Veterans Choice programs. The incumbent will also be responsible for trouble shooting all prescriptions and will assure that all prescriptions meet proper eligibility criteria on a patient specific basis.
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 (1) 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.) (2) 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. 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. (1) 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. (2) 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. Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. (b) 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): 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-12 to GS-12
Duties include but are not limited to: A. DISTRIBUTIVE 1. The pharmacist is responsible for the safe, accurate, and appropriate distribution or dispensing of medications within the medical center. The pharmacist will ensure that all Pharmacy Service and other regulatory policies are complied with regarding medication labeling, inventory management, formulary management, equipment maintenance and timeliness of service. The pharmacist provides oversight/ supervision to Pharmacy Service support staff in the conduct of this distributive function. 2. The pharmacist will ensure all prescriptions coming from Non-VA providers are processed, working with the providers, patient, and other services to ensure timely delivery of these services within Pharmacy Service Policy. 3. The pharmacist will be works as an outpatient pharmacist at the CBOC (i.e., Dispensing, Pending's, etc.). B. CLINICAL 1. Drug Therapy Monitoring - Drug therapy monitoring should be conducted by the pharmacist in all areas of pharmacy practice as an ongoing activity. Drug therapy monitoring includes an assessment of the following: i. The therapeutic appropriateness of the patient's drug regimen, dose, frequency, and route/method of administration. ii. Real or potential allergies or sensitivities iii. Therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen. iv. The degree of patient adherence to the drug regimen. v. Drug/drug, drug/food, drug/laboratory, or drug/disease interactions. vi. Clinical and laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects. vii. Physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy. viii. Variation from organizational criteria for use guidelines/provision of cost-effective care, e.g., suggest more cost-effective regimen to providers where appropriate to be in line with VISN/National guidelines for use and local cost containment initiatives. ix. Double check for potential errors with look-alike/sound-alike drug pairs per local policy. x. Monitor controlled substance utilization when processing new/renewal orders and intervene where abuse potential is demonstrated (i.e., State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs). xi. Medication reconciliation and patient education as appropriate. xii. Other relevant medication-related issues or concerns. 2. The pharmacist is responsible for detecting, monitoring, and reporting adverse drug events and medication errors. 3. The pharmacist is responsible for cost saving opportunities by actively being involved in formulary management activities (conversions, prior authorization drug requests, etc.) 4. The pharmacist is responsible for reviewing medications administered in clinics including but not limited to injectables, drops, topicals, etc. 5. The pharmacist evaluates medication orders and medication profiles for appropriateness of therapy, dosage range, synergistic, antagonistic, and cumulative effects. Reviews questionable medication orders with the prescribing providers when necessary. 6. The pharmacist provides consultation and education to physician, nurses, and other health care professionals on drug information. 7. The pharmacist ensures that the patient can understand medication instruction by providing oral and written counseling on his/her drug therapy. 8. The pharmacist evaluates provider's orders for appropriateness based on patient medication profiles; inputs information into computer system; dispenses medication in accordance with appropriate formulary requirements. C. ADMINISTRATIVE a. The pharmacist is responsible for the procurement, distribution, and dispensing of the medications in the Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADC) b. Works with Pharmacy Service procurement employees to ensure adequate stock and avoidance of out of stock situations. Incumbent may be involved in inventory management and audits of ADC. c. Oversight of pharmacy technician assigned to the CBOC. d. The pharmacist is responsible for the daily operation status of all aspects of the pharmacy Non-VA, Choice programs, Care in the Community, or otherwise named program involving filling prescriptions from non-VA providers. The pharmacist is required to prioritize work to meet operational and patient care needs. Pharmacy Service Policy and Procedures, VA Regulation and State and Federal Pharmacy Laws will serve as operational guidance. The pharmacist will aid the CBOC Supervisor in the development of policies and procedures related to the Care in the Community. e. Ensures the appropriate utilization, maintenance, and care of Pharmacy Service resources. Work Schedule: M-F, 07:30-16:00 or 08:00-160 Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized