Summary

The Outpatient Clinical Pharmacist's (CP) principal duties include providing innovative and progressive clinical pharmacy services for outpatient primary care clinics - outpatient specialty clinics and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs).

Qualifications

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 appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2 - section D - paragraph 5a - this part
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education
• In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must meet one of the following: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate 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
• Preferred Experience: Ability to communicate orally and in writing - previous experience working in an outpatient setting - understanding regulatory and quality standards for outpatient pharmacy practice - and ability to solve problems
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Duties

• **NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series
• For more information - refer to Required Documents below.** Duties include - but are not limited to: Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice Medication management in practice areas identified in the individual scope of practice
• Design - implement - document - monitor and adjust therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas
• Order - perform - review - and analyze appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy
• Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities Review - interpret - evaluate - and approve patient medication orders and regimens for clinical effectiveness - drug selection - dosing - contraindications - route of administration - side effects - potential drug interactions - appropriate monitoring - and therapeutic outcomes as required
• Communicate findings with prescribers and provide appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed
• Monitor and report drug errors - adverse drug reactions - allergies - and patient compliance issues
• Document findings per facility procedures
• Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care - recognize abnormalities and the clinical significance of abnormalities - and make therapeutic adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings
• Assist Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee or pharmacy service leadership with medication use evaluations and other quality and safety initiatives
• Effectively conduct medication interviews with patients and serve as the expert on the patient's medication regimen - compliance - and perspective
• Make recommendations based on sound pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and other parameters to optimize the patient's medication regimen
• Provide expert patient counseling and teaching about medications dispensed to the patient
• Reconcile medications during transitions of care and facilitate continuity across transitions of care
• Pharmacy Operations Maintain competency in medication compounding - including appropriate preparation - stability - handling - beyond use dating - and disposal
• Maintain competence in all operational aspects of outpatient pharmacy service - including all electronic medical record software - automation - labeling - packaging - dispensing - shipping - documentation - controlled substance accountability - inventory management - and Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) procedures
• Supervise pharmacy technicians and pharmacy students in performance of any operational functions
• Ensure workload is completed in a timely manner and prioritize tasks both personally and pharmacy wide to provide the most efficient and timely service delivery
• Effectively communicate these priorities to pharmacy staff
• Ensure accurate and timely dispensing and shipping of pharmaceuticals to meet patient care needs
• Enforce national and local formulary decisions and adjudicate prior authorization drug requests in accordance with VA guidelines and clinical judgement
• Assist providers in navigating this process and recommend formulary alternatives when appropriate
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm
• Holidays 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized