Summary

This Pharmacist (Clinical Pharmacy Specialist) is in Geriatrics and Extended Care services within the White River Junction VA Health Care System located at White River Junction - Vermont.

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 2 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
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
• Grade Determinations: GS- 13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Experience
• In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above 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
• Pharmacists should also demonstrate the following GS-12 Full Performance Level 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
• 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
• Preferred Experience: Experience in a home-based care setting
• Experience with Comprehensive Medication Management as a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) Residency in geriatrics or experience managing geriatric patients
• Demonstrated ability to manage patients with complex care needs - particularly in rural areas
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice - works independently under their individual scope of practice to directly care for patients
• A CPS functions as a member of their assigned team and serves as an advanced practice provider 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
• Duties include but are not limited to: Customer Service: Treats patient - team members - other facility employees and visitors with respect
• Responds to the needs of the Veteran and staff in a courteous and timely manner
• Demonstrates interpersonal skills to achieve the goals of the service
• Acts as a team member and is supportive of the group's efforts at all times
• Demonstrates an ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality
• Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice: Core functions include patient care encounters (e.g
• face to face and virtual) with referred patients - for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice
• Functions as a mid-level provider to design - implement - and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas
• Orders - performs - reviews - and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy
• Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy - i.e
• changes in medication therapy - monitoring - and additional testing requirements
• Determines if a referral to a higher level of care is necessary when treatment interventions fall outside of the CPS scope of practice
• Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities: Identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive medication management through population management reports and during team huddles
• Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness - drug selection - dosing - contraindications - side effects - potential drug interactions - and therapeutic outcomes as required
• Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed
• Monitor and report drug errors - adverse drug reactions - allergies - and patient compliance issues
• Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies
• Works with providers to ensure compliance with national - VISN - and local initiatives
• Education and Research: Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists - pharmacy technicians - pharmacy students - pharmacy residents - and other staff on assigned teams
• Serves as preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established policies
• Drug Information: Serves as an authority on drug usage - interactions - over-dosages - and compliance - to medical staff - nursing staff - technicians and students
• Uses appropriate references to research drug information
• Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers
• Effectively instructs on appropriate use of medications and medical devices
• Performs additional duties as required
• Work Schedule: Full-Time - Monday - Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F04841 at GS-13 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Notifications: This position is in the Excepted Service
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position
• This position is covered by a special rate
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) will be required from the selectee to proceed with the appointment
• Current or Former Federal Employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure - and type of service (Competitive or Excepted)
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• Selectee will be required to complete additional forms to proceed with employment process.