The Clinical Pharmacist is the primary professional pharmacy staff member, responsible for the daily operation of the pharmacy medication management systems of this affiliated tertiary care, teaching, medical, surgical, and research hospital, and Outpatient pharmacy. "The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below."
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. 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 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. 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 11 Clinical Pharmacist none (meets basic requirements only) GS 12 Clinical Pharmacist 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. 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The Clinical Pharmacist serves as a primary professional pharmacy staff member and functions independently to provide support to clinical and operational activities as assigned. The incumbent must be highly organized and demonstrate a concerned and critical attitude toward accuracy, detail, control, and loss management and function with minimal supervision. Serves as the pharmacist in charge when supervisor is not on site. The incumbent is primarily responsible for managing and completing day to day tasks as assigned including but not limited to completing order verification, checking all prescriptions prior to final dispensing, overseeing non-sterile compounding, coordinating patient care with various health care providers, providing patient education, completing discharge counseling. The individual must understand current practice standards from ASHP, Joint Commission, VA PBM Guidance, VHA Directives, VHA Handbooks, Hospital Policy, and Procedures, EPRP, Quality Measures, and/or other professional standards and advise the organization and the department of their impact on patient care. Uses the electronic health record to review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Interviews and evaluates patients in acute and ambulatory settings for appropriateness and accuracy of pharmacologic therapy and makes a patient centered care plan for those patients who need pharmaceutical care and will document the medication care plan in the medical record. Utilizes VAADERs Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting system to monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Enters and documents medication errors or findings in the medication reporting system. (5) Documents pharmaceutical care plan and interventions performed in electronic health record and/or facility specific programs in accordance with policies and facility by-laws. (6) Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings. Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable and as assigned. Supports effective drug usage criteria approved by the national VHA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM), VISN PBM and local Pharmacy & Therapeutic (P&T) which help to ensure quality patient care in a cost-effective manner. Ensures appropriate utilization of the VHA formulary by health care providers. Assumption of limited prescribing patient care management functions under appropriate supervision or per protocol. Prescriptive authority will be established as outlined in the employee's scope of practice (if applicable). Utilizes motivational interview skills with patient, family, caregiver, and other healthcare professionals to collect patient-specific data, conduct medication history, and identify additional data needed for medication review assessment and medication reconciliation. Designs and/or participates in quality assurance projects/research studies or outcomes research involving drug therapy or clinical pharmacy functions. Assists in medical emergencies and high-risk scenarios, when applicable. The Clinical Pharmacist ensures appropriate selection of medications, dosages, and administration, and provides recommendation on routes and dosages for alternatives medications if warranted. Medication Dispensing and Distribution-Responsible for processing all electronic orders for assigned team as requested or needed including verifying patient information, correct medication dose, route, and frequency of administration. All orders are checked for patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and priority. Identifies, interprets, and resolves prescribing and dispensing issues, including pharmacotherapeutics and the formulary. Documents interventions within the specified timeframe if applicable. As needed will need to be capable to assist in coordination of the activities of the assigned pharmacy technicians and pharmacy volunteers engaged in the preparation, labeling, dispensing, manufacturing, and delivery of medications and other pharmaceutical supplies in accordance with physician orders. Dispenses controlled substances with accuracy according to current policies and procedures. Administration /Technical support. Work Schedule: "Various shifts available: 06:00am to 2:30pm; 8:00am to 04:30pm; and 11:00am to 07:30pm. Rotating weekends and holidays, off tour as needed. Shifts will be discussed during the interview process." Telework: Ad-hoc; as determined by the agency VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws