Summary

The Oncology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) serves as a provider with prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice.

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
• 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
• 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
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• English Language Proficiency
• Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
• 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)
• GS-13 Grade Determinations: Experience
• In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12)
• Examples of GS-12 experience includes: handling 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
• trucing 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 - OR Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area
• Ability to solve problems - coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies - including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters
• Preferred Experience: Education/training: ASHP accredited PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Education/training: ASHP accredited PGY2 Pharmacy Residency in Oncology or PGY1 + 3 years > 50% clinical experience in Oncology (direct patient care with scope of practice) Certification: BCOP (Board Certified Oncology Pharmacist) Experience: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Oncology) - direct patient care with scope of practice 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-13
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting - 15-44 pounds
• Moderate carrying - 15-44 pounds
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (8 hours)
• Standing (8 hours)
• Kneeling (1 hour)
• Repeated bending (4 hours)
• Both legs required
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Specific visual requirement (DVA Correctable to 20/40)
• Both eyes required
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Hearing (aid may be permitted)

Duties

• The incumbent is responsible for the medication therapy management of both acute and ambulatory care cancer patients
• those receiving injectable therapy in the outpatient infusion clinic for a non-malignant indication
• They will be counseling new patients on their oral or injectable anticancer drug regimens and regularly assessing patients for toxicities prior to subsequent cycles of chemotherapy
• The incumbent will also support/assist - when needed - satellite pharmacy operations responsible for compounding/dispensing all injectable and infusion related antineoplastic drugs for the health care center
• This pharmacist will help manage post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients reviewing preparative chemo drug regimens and supportive care while in hospital receiving either an allogeneic or an autologous transplant
• This pharmacist promotes and manages drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge that is consistent with policies and guidelines established at the national - VISN - and local levels
• Clinical Pharmacy Specialists are employees of their medical center's Pharmacy Service - to ensure they receive all professional guidance - policy and communications - along with department missions and goals - especially regarding the VA National Formulary - VISN and local medical center Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee objectives for formulary management activities and patient safety updates (i.e
• notices - bulletins)
• The Oncology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist will perform their duties in Medical Oncology - Hematology - and Ambulatory Infusion Clinic
• The CPS will be provided appropriate resources for the direct care of their patients
• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0800-1630 Telework: Available (Ad-hoc) as determined by the agency policy
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized Recruitment Incentive (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 existing pay - 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) Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required