This Clinical Pharmacist (Staff Pharmacist) position is in the VA Maine Healthcare System, located in Augusta, ME. This position is Full Time at 40 hours per biweekly pay period.
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: 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/. OR 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). License: 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 OR 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. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English. Grade Determinations: GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Outpatient Staff Pharmacist): Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS 11. 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/. Physical Requirements: Must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the staff pharmacist position. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes incumbent to communicable diseases, biohazards, hazardous chemicals and hazardous medications common in a healthcare environment. Such exposure will be mitigated in accordance with local policies and operating procedures as per USP 800 standards, OSHA guidance and local risk assessment practices. Standard safety precautions and PPE are required and specified per local policies. Some work is performed in a setting away from the pharmacy where the environment cannot be controlled.
The Clinical Pharmacist (Staff Pharmacist) functions as a member of the health care team by providing services which are based on the knowledge and skills represented by licensure as a registered pharmacist. Duties include, but are not limited to: Responsible for verifying the legality of each prescription and checking the patient's medication profile for appropriate therapeutic use and dosage, therapeutic duplication and polypharmacy, allergies, drug interactions, other potential contraindications and patient eligibility before processing and verifying orders. Responsible for viewing the patient's medications, notes, allergies, labs and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems. Evaluates all chemotherapy orders for appropriateness based on disease state, regimen, patient specific factors and laboratory results and ensures the double-check is completed on all orders prior to dispensing. Contact the provider to clarify orders as needed prior to dispensing. Responsible for completing medication histories, including patient or caregiver interviews, to reconcile medications and assure an accurate medication profile for both VA and non-VA medications. Documents all clinical interventions in the medical record. Monitor and assess the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Responsible for counseling patients or caregivers on medication regimens to ensure proper use, compliance, and understanding of therapy. Responsible to become familiar with the use and function of all automated devices or technologies used routinely to process, fill and deliver orders. Responsible for the oversight of pharmacy technician work for all aspects of preparation and distribution. Manages recalls and medication shortages by substituting alternative dosage strength/instructions of the same medication or by suggesting therapeutic substitutions to the provider. Responsible for monthly inspections of pharmacy, ward and/or clinic stocks of medication for compliance with national and local regulations. Emergency crash cart maintenance is also included in the pharmacist's responsibility. Supervise technicians and have knowledge of all the duties in their assigned area. Participate in educational programs both within the Medical Center and involving external continuing education programs. Provide in-service education programs for staff members and other health professionals and will provide organized drug information upon request. Develop and maintenance of an internal Pharmacy Service training program designed to disseminate pertinent information to the staff. May also be required to develop and implement suitable programs for new hires, pharmacy students and residents. Work Schedule: Full -Time schedule-variable Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Telework: Ad-hoc authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: F03125 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) NOTIFICATIONS: This position is in the Excepted Service. This position is covered by a special rate. Current and former Federal employees may submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) will be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.