CLINICAL PHARMACIST

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 Accredited 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. 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. 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). Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard 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. (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 basic requirements above, applicants must possess the following grade requirements. Clinical Pharmacist, GS-12: Applicants must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. In addition, applicants must meet 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. 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. 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: For physical requirements please refer to VA Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. Serves as a Clinical Pharmacist (CP) in a VISN Clinical Contact Center (CCC) as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The VISN CCC Clinical Pharmacist's primary responsibility is the utilization of evidence- based pharmaceutical care services through direct interactions with patients and providers as well as the safe provision of pharmaceuticals and medication information in a timely manner.

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws **The salary range listed on this announcement only reflects the General Schedule incorporating Rest of U.S. basic pay. Upon selection, the salary will be adjusted to include the special salary rate and locality adjustment for the specific location.** Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Professionally receives and handles escalated telephone calls from and responds to veterans, their family members and/or legal representatives regarding a broad range of topics, including: appropriate use of medications and medical devices, basic billing inquiries, clinical questions, medication refills/renewals, drug-drug interactions, adverse effects, food-drug interactions, product availability, and pharmacy policies as appropriate. Monitors provider's orders for appropriateness of therapy and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, incompatibilities, side effects and patient compliance issues and appropriately interacts with the ordering provider or attending as needed. Actively reviews patient medication regimens for cost effective drug selection, dosing, contraindications, therapeutic duplication, appropriate route and method of administration, drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Provides findings and responses to drug information requests to prescribers in a timely manner and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed. Utilizes patient care information systems such as VistA and CPRS to obtain critical patient data elements and to document clinical interventions and other pertinent patient care issues in a timely and professional manner. Manages recalls and medication shortage situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths or products per facility policy. Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per VISN CCC policy. Manages various actions, as appropriate, for medication orders to include flagging prescriptions, managing view alerts, using the "hold" function, and generating unsigned discontinued orders using the "service reject" function. Reviews prescription renewal verification requests and takes appropriate action to extend refills until the next scheduled appointment under the provider's name per VISN CCC policy. Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate. Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care, including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non- VA medications. Work Schedule: Rotating shifts between 7:00pm to 7:00am and 7:00am to 7:00pm, but will be scheduled 7 on 7 off during WHEN (Weekends, Holidays, Evenings, and Nights). Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized