Career Center

Summary

The Inpatient & Operating Room Clinical Pharmacist (CP) 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; and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy to ensure safe and effective care.

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 website at: ACPE
• (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
• 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(/))
• 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 the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B)
• The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist
• For grade levels above the GS-11 - the candidate must be licensed
• 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: 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
• 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
• 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
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: GS-11 Pharmacist: Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• (NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement in subparagraph 2c(1) above.) Assignment
• Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity
• GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level): Experience or Education
• In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must meet one of the following: 1
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - or 2
• Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate ALL 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
• (b) 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
• Preferred Experience: 2 year Inpatient Pharmacy Experience 1 year operating room experience 1 year experience with pharmacy automation systems such as OmniCell and or Pyxis
• 1 year experience with Federal pharmacy computer systems such as CHCS - VISTA - or MHSGenesis (Cerner) 1 year USP 797/800 IV sterile compounding experience OR IV sterile compounding certification Experience with training/precepting pharmacist residents - students - and pharmacy technicians Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• VA Handbook 5005/55 Part II Appendix G15 Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard GS-660 Veterans Health Administration June 7 - 2012.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Duties may include but are not limited to: Prescription Processing: Effectively utilizes and maintains proficiency with all computerized prescription processing systems to be able to appropriately process/review all medication orders
• Verifies eligibility for Non-VA care Community Care Network prescriptions - Non-VA urgent-care prescriptions - and non-VA care hospital discharge prescriptions - ensures non-VA providers are authorized and appropriately credentialed to prescribe medications before entering them into the system
• Follows facility policies to enter/review Prescription Drug Monitoring program (PDMP) - takes appropriate action - and document review when necessary
• Receives - interprets and evaluates all electronic and/or written provider medication orders for both accuracy and appropriateness using acceptable pharmacy practice standards
• Act as an instructor and preceptor for pharmacy students and residents
• Prescription Filling: Ensure all medications and supplies are stored appropriately with proper attention to rotation of stock inventory management and complying with all applicable laws and VHA policies
• When necessary - oversees and assists in the filling of prescription orders - packaging the medication appropriately - and completing all required filling documentation
• Prescription Checking: Verifies all medications/medical supplies are processed/filled accurately Verifies all medications/medical supplies are filled accurately packaged and labeled in full compliance to include paperwork in accordance with Federal rules and regulation - VHA directives - local policies/procedures Controlled Substance Accountability: Possess a thorough knowledge of principles relating to controlled substances - and the requirements of medical center policy and federal and state regulations that apply to these drugs
• Monitor and maintain appropriate controlled substance stock par levels to balance patient care needs with inventory management best practices
• Sterile Compounding: Ensures compliance with all policies and procedures relating to IV preparation - including USP 797/800 - VA Inpatient Handbooks - all station memorandums/service level SOPs - and Joint Commission Standards
• Knowledge and ability to perform compounding with aseptic technique for routine sterile products
• Prescription Distribution: Accurately identifies patients and distributes medications appropriately
• Ability to properly package prescription medications for dispensing
• Clinical: Provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations to health care providers in charge of the patient
• Monitoring will include prospective review of patient's active medications for appropriateness
• of the medication regimen for the condition being treated - route of administration - drug-drug - drug-food - drug-laboratory or drug-disease interactions - and any synergistic - antagonistic - cumulative - potential overdoses and/or incompatibilities - compliance - anticipate side effects - toxicity and adverse effects Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday - 7:00 am -3:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Telework Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized