Summary

The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) at VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (VASNHCS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice and works under a scope of practice as approved by the Medical Executive Committee and facility collaborative care agreement.

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: (1) 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.) [TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION] (2) 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)
• [YOU MUST SUBMIT COPY OF FPGEC CERTIFICATION WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE] 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
• [YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE]
• 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-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist : Experience
• In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• Assignments
• Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
• The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice - works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients
• A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate - modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services
• This includes - but is not limited to - the following: designing - implementing - assessing - monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective - least toxic and most economical medication treatments
• helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients - providers - and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas
• performing physical assessments
• and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: a
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions
• b
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area
• c
• Ability to solve problems - coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise
• d
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy
• e
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies - including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters
• VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT): VHA HPTs pending the completion of education or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met
• NOTE: This applies to current/past/upcoming VHA HPTs only
• An HPT is an individual appointed to a temporary position in one or more VHA medical facilities performing clinical or research training experiences to satisfy program or degree requirements or receiving VA Health Professional Scholarship Program
• HPTs can be either VA-paid or Without Compensation (WOC).References: VA Handbook 5005/55 - Appendix G15
• VA Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard GS-660 - dated June 7 - 2012
• This can be found in the local Human Resources Office
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13
• Physical Requirements: The work requires standing - light carrying and lifting (under 15 pounds)
• walking - bending - reaching above the shoulder - and ability to distinguish basic colors
• The work also involves working around machinery with moving parts and working closely with others.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) functions to initiate - modify - discontinue - and monitor medication therapy and acts as a consultant for comprehensive medication therapy management services
• This includes - but is not limited to: designing - implementing - assessing - monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective - least toxic and most economical medication treatments
• helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients - providers and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas
• performing physical assessments
• and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy
• The CPS plays a defined role in meeting performance measures and budgetary execution
• The CPS requires minimal supervision and actively participates in local - state and national organizations related to the advancement of the pharmacy profession
• The CPS is a people centric - evidenced-based and forward-thinking leader who possesses exceptional communication skills - and has the knowledge - skills - and abilities in advanced clinical pharmacy practice
• Functions 1
• Practices as the CPS for the assigned area at the highest level of approved scope of practice
• The CPS oversees pharmacotherapy to ensure that national treatment guidelines are being followed in addition to adherence to national formulary and local policies
• 2
• Interfaces with providers - including physicians - PAs - and ARNPs in the design and continued evaluation of the Veteran's treatment regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy
• 3
• Serves as an authoritative information source on medications and their utilization in therapy
• 4
• Evaluates drug literature by analysis of experimental design and methodology - in order to compare and contrast therapeutic regimens and roles for new drugs
• 5
• Recognizes patient presentation of signs - symptoms - laboratory tests and diagnoses - recognizes and lists important medical problems - disease states - symptoms or abnormal laboratory values that may necessitate altering the therapeutic regimen or which may be induced by drug therapy
• 6
• Establishes and expands the patient data base through interpreting the drug history - medical history - physical examination and ongoing patient specific monitoring of therapy - with documentation in the formal patient medical record
• 7
• Designs and documents a therapeutic regimen or plan - based on patient specific information that includes establishing a therapeutic endpoint and stop criteria - electing an appropriate drug and related therapy - and establishing an appropriate dosage regimen
• 8
• Monitors - assesses and documents therapeutic and adverse effects of drug therapy (including drug interactions) through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters
• 9
• Provides consultation on selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens as a follow-up of non-therapeutic drug concentrations obtained from ambulatory care and inpatients
• 10
• Works to develop - upgrade - and/or disseminate acceptable criteria for use of formulary and non-formulary medications and other high cost items directed at employing cost effectiveness without compromising the quality of patient care
• Work Schedule: 0700-1500 -may vary depending on staffing needs includes some weekends and holidays
• Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required