Clinical Pharmacist - Inpatient

Summary

This position is located in the Pharmacy service at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center. A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Distributive Functions Verifies provider-entered inpatient and outpatient prescriptions. Provides oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution, where applicable. Directs pharmacy technician support. Reviews and interprets physician orders for IV and oral medications for accuracy, eligibility, availability, and therapeutic appropriateness. Compounds and dispenses all extemporaneous preparations, including those requiring a high degree of technical and pharmaceutical knowledge. Use aseptic technique and proper safety precautions when mixing all IV solutions for all specialties (including Oncology, Cardiology, and PCA pumps). Provide professional guidance on IV admixtures or related matters to medical and nursing staff. Input and/or verify all prescription orders via CPRS per assigned area. Ensures orders are processed and filled in a timely, accurate manner, including point-of-care drug distribution, where applicable. Reviews and enters orders for intravenous admixtures when necessary for large volume fluids, IV-piggybacks, TPN's, narcotics, and chemotherapy. Coordinating medication orders with central pharmacy or CMOP when necessary Filling or verifying previously filled prescriptions on ScriptPro, including noncontrolled and controlled prescriptions. Educational Functions Acquisition and maintenance of the clinical knowledge necessary to provide clinical pharmacy services to the inpatient and outpatient areas. Provision of orientation and training to all Doctor of Pharmacy students and residents assigned to their area. Precept pharmacy students, PGY-1 and PGY-2 pharmacy residents. Participation in the education and training of new employees or employees introduced to selected practice areas. Presentation of in-servicing and conferences to other members of the pharmacy or medical center staff. Administrative Functions Responsible for keeping abreast of changes in the Pharmacy Service (i.e., formulary additions and deletions, interdepartmental memoranda, relevant station memoranda, and policies & procedures) as well as changes in clinical practice standards and guidelines. Incorporate departmental and standards of care into clinical practice where needed. Assumes an ownership role for administrative activities related to setting, including reviewing consults promptly, accurately closing encounters, independently resolving provider and patient care issues, and assuring appropriate coverage for clinical services. Maintains an expert understanding of all regulatory standards specific to the clinical practice area, including but not limited to VA, DEA, and Joint Commission regulations. Work Schedule: Rotating shifts to include, but not limited to: 7:00AM-3:00PM, 7:00AM-3:30PM, 7:30AM-4:00PM, 8:00AM-4:30PM, 9:00AM-5:30PM, 11:00AM-7:30PM, 1:00PM-9:30PM, 1:30PM-10:00PM, 2:00PM-10:30PM, and 2:30PM-11:00PM. Weekends, holidays, and overnight coverages as needed. Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs. Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 63391F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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). All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (6/7/2012) 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. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions; (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation; and (3) If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: In addition to the GS-12 basic requirements, candidates must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) or completed 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, a