Clinical Pharmacist

Summary

This GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Inpatient) role is a high-responsibility, clinically integrated pharmacist position within the VA. Applicants should expect to operate as both medication experts and core members of interdisciplinary care teams. The role blends dispensing, clinical decision-making, patient counseling, education, and operational oversight.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Receive, interpret, process, and fill medication orders. Enter chemotherapy protocols and schedule long-term oral/IV therapies. Prepare chemotherapy using aseptic technique and required protective guidelines. Double-check IV chemotherapy preparations for safety and accuracy. Serve as a drug information specialist across multiple therapeutic areas. Advise providers on medications, contraindications, interactions, and formulary issues. Review patient profiles for allergies, interactions, duplications, incompatibilities, and compliance. Participate as the pharmacy representative on interdisciplinary treatment teams. Monitor medication outcomes and recommend therapy alternatives when needed. Participate in medication-use reviews, pain management studies, and formulary evaluations. Supervise and train pharmacists, technicians, clerks, students, interns, externs, and residents. Provide professional education and guidance to pharmacy students. Oversee inpatient pharmacy operations in supervisor's absence. Supervise technical and professional staff when acting as pharmacist-in-charge. Ensure adherence to Medical Center and Pharmacy policies and procedures. Communicate and treat veterans, visitors, and staff with courtesy, tact, and respect. Provide consistent and policy-aligned information. Handle conflict and customer issues appropriately and constructively. rotect printed/electronic sensitive data per the Privacy Act and VA regulations. Follow all rules regarding access to computerized files, passwords, and data release. Follow Life Safety Management (fire protection) procedures. Report hazards, accidents, and injuries. VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm (with rotating weekend & holidays) & 8:00pm-8:00am,7 days on and 7 days off, w/ rotating weekends. Schedules are base upon the needs of the medical facility. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 54824F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Qualifications

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). Note: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE. 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. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Note: YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE. 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-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) 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): 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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.