Pharmacist/Clinical Pharmacist

Summary

The Pharmacist handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations.

Duties

The Pharmacist 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. The Pharmacist/ Clinical Pharmacist: Consults with physicians and other providers on appropriate pharmaceutical treatment regimens for patients. Provides consultation to physicians and other health care professionals on both basic and specific information concerning formulary alternatives. Spends up to 25% of time providing clinical services to clinic patients, providers, and other clinic staff. Provides patient consultation concerning individual drug therapy and related problems and needs. Evaluation of non-formulary consults in accordance with VA criteria for use of non-formulary medications. Monitors use of non-formulary medications on discharge and fee prescriptions to ensure that VA patients receive appropriate medications according to VA criteria of use. Processes pharmacy interventions regarding medication changes in therapy, drug-interactions, drug allergy processing, dosage errors, and other pharmacy interventions. Notifies providers of appropriate changes to medication orders and make appropriate recommendations. Records pharmacy interventions in appropriate intervention software to track and trend interventions for quality assurance purposes. Provides appropriate selection of drug therapy. Provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring. Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy. Provides medication counseling to patients. Completes medication histories including patient interviews. Serves as a drug information resource to health care professionals, patients, and caregivers. Duties are continued in the Benefits section of this announcement. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 1 PM - 9:30 PM, alternate tours of duty may be assigned to meet service requirements including weekends and holidays. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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). This is at the discretion of the hiring manager to request and may not be offered until Medical Center Director Approval is obtained. 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. This is at the discretion of the hiring manager to request and may not be offered until Medical Center Director Approval is obtained. 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) Telework: Ad-Hoc Telework is available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:Pharmacist, GS-11: 53587-F, Clinical Pharmacist, GS-12: 53588-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

Health Profession Trainees (HPT's) pending the completion of educational requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. All applicants pending the completion of certification/licensure requirements may be referred as a Graduate Pharmacist at the GS-11 level 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: Must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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 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[1]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. 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. Licensure 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 th