Summary

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below. This position serves as a Mental Health (MH) Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) provider for the CRH program. The CRH MH CPS provider functions at the highest level of clinical practice and works independently under their scope of practice (SOP) to directly care for patients. There is an existing mutual consultation and referral with the provider and the CRH MH CPS.

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
• 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.)(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)
• 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
• 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: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist GS-13: 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
• 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: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Functions as an advanced practice provider with a scope of practice to provide CMM services for identified Spoke site facilities as outlined in VHA Handbook 1108.11 - Clinical Pharmacy Services
• Core activities outlined within the scope of practice include: Executes therapeutic plans utilizing the safest and most cost-effective medication treatments
• Perform the physical measurements and objective assessments necessary to ensure the patient's appropriate clinical responses to therapy
• Order - subsequent review - and action on appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor - support - and modify the patient's drug therapy
• Order and prescribe medications - vaccines - devices - and supplies to include initiation - continuation - discontinuation - monitoring - and altering therapy
• prescribing - administering - or dispensing controlled substances
• Order consults and referrals - as appropriate - to maximize positive drug therapy outcomes
• Obtain and document informed consent for treatments and procedures that require consent for which the clinical pharmacist is responsible
• Conduct virtual and in-person (when appropriate) encounters with patients for CMM in the MH practice area
• Follow-up with patients in a timely manner and monitors for drug therapy response - potential adverse drug reactions - allergies - compliance - laboratory results - and other monitoring measures as appropriate
• treatment plan adjustments are made accordingly based on assessed measures
• Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness - drug selection - dosing - contraindications - side effects - potential drug interactions - pharmacokinetic impact - and therapeutic outcomes as required
• Promote and monitor compliance for established drug therapy policies
• Coordinate with and refer to appropriate diagnosing providers when disease progression or events occur that are outside the CRH MH CPS provider SOP
• Identifie patients who may benefit from CMM through population management - team meetings - and/or huddles
• Document appropriate subjective and objective information - as well as clinical interventions in the electronic medical record
• Report and document drug errors - adverse drug reactions - and allergies according to policy
• Conduct drug utilization reviews - quality assurance activities - and utilization reviews as required
• Work with health care team members to ensure compliance with national - VISN - and local initiatives
• Serve as an authority on drug usage - interactions - over-dosages - and compliance
• Maintain a good working knowledge of information resources - both written and electronic - as well as therapeutics and disease management
• Provide timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries
• Instruct patients and family members effectively in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices - adjusts communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations - accurately assesses - and documents patient comprehension - and refers patients to available educational programs
• Other duties may include: Collaborate in the development and maintenance of policies and procedures defining operational requirements for the CRH pharmacy program
• Complete administrative projects and reports
• Serve on VISN and/or facility level committees as requested
• Attend and actively participates in pharmacy related training - in-services - staff development - and relevant conferences
• Serve as an advocate for the pharmacy profession and educates team members on CRH and CPS provider processes
• Assist in the training for new CRH staff - competency assessments - and mentoring as requested
• Serve as a preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established policies
• Responsible for keeping aware of changes in the Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) - CPPO - and PBM Formulary services (e.g. - formulary additions and deletions - relevant memoranda - and policies and procedures) - as well as general knowledge of VA - Drug Enforcement Administration - US Food and Drug Administration - and The Joint Commission regulations
• Participate in the design and/or completion of research studies and/or quality improvement projects
• Directs and/or participates in the preparation of articles for publication
• Prepare and present educational lectures to a variety of disciplines as required
• Participates in CRH related evaluation studies as requested
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am - 4:30pm CST Compressed/Flexible: May be available Virtual: This is a virtual position
• Organization is currently included on Return to Office (RTO) mid-term exemption list (180-days)
• Remote work is currently authorized
• however - candidates may be subject to return to office in event the policy changes or the exemption is not extended
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized