Clinical Pharmacist

SummaryPharmacy services are provided to all Veteran patients receiving care in the patient areas of the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System (CTVHCS). The Organizational Location of the Position is: CTVHCS - Pharmacy Service. A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local - Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and national policies and regulations.QualificationsApplicants 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 RequirementsaCitizenshipCitizen of the United States(Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g - this part.) bEducation(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.) degreeVerification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education - 20 North Clark Street - Suite 2500 - Chicago - Illinois 60602-5109phone: (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 programToday 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)cLicensureFull - current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State - Territory - Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. - Puerto Rico) - or the District of ColumbiaThe pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full - current - and unrestricted licensureA 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(1) ExceptionNon-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 pharmacistFor grade levels above the GS-11 - the candidate must be licensed(2) Failure to Obtain LicenseIn all cases - pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointmentAt the time of appointment - the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure - the date by which the license must be acquired - and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadlineFailure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employmentdGrandfathering ProvisionAll 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 occupationFor 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:(1) 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(2) 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 standardEmployees 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(3) 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 occupationePhysical RequirementsSee VA Directive and Handbook 5019fEnglish Language ProficiencyPharmacists 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2 - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates(1) GS-11 Pharmacist (a) Experience - Education - and LicensureNone beyond the basic requirements(NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement in subparagraph 2c(1) above.) (b) AssignmentPharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity(2) GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience or EducationIn addition to the basic requirements - candidates must meet one of the following: 11 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - or 2Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. programGrade Determination Continued in the Education Section Below: Preferred Experience: 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 3 years of outpatient pharmacy experience 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-12The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12Physical Requirements: Use of fingers and both hands requiredWalk (up to 1 hour)Light carrying (up to 10 lbs.)Near vision correctable at 13"" to 16""Hearing (aid permitted)DutiesMajor duties as assigned - but not limited to: GS-11 Pharmacist Dispensing: Organizing the workload and establishing optimum workflow in the area assigned so as to complete the workload as accurately and efficiently as possibleDuring the medication verification process - optimization of tablets/capsules and all approved P&T Committee cost containment initiatives will be completed by the Pharmacist to ensure cost effective therapyScreening - profiling - entering - and verifying physician ordersOrders should be screened for accuracy and appropriateness of drug - dose - form - route - and intervalThis includes drug-drug and drug-food interactions - allergies - incompatibilities - contraindications - and formulary availabilityPhysicians or other appropriate healthcare professionals are contacted when necessaryProblems are dealt with in an appropriate manner and if unresolved the appropriate pharmacist is contactedSupervising the technicians' preparation and the dispensing of all medications for patientsDispensing outpatient prescriptions or unit dose medicationsFilling and issuing of ward or clinic orders for drugs - supplies - and narcotics as necessaryMaintaining records accurately and properlyMaintaining adequate levels of medications - forms and supplies pertinent to this area - will forward problems concerning procurement to the appropriate supervisorHandling all routine professional - technical - and administrative problems associated with the provision of medications for the Veteran patientClinical: Providing pertinent information concerning the proper use of medicationsProviding drug information to physicians - nurses - and other associated healthcare professionalsActs as liaison between the wards or other patient care areas and the pharmacy distribution area - helping to solve problems - clarify orders Participates in the pharmacy and medical centers quality assurance activitiesParticipating in the medical center's drug use evaluation programEducation: Maintaining and obtaining clinical drug knowledge necessary to provide clinical pharmacy servicesParticipating in the education and training of all new employees - and technician traineesPresenting inservices to other members of the pharmacy staff as well as to the techniciansProviding in-services to the nursing staff and other professional and paraprofessional groupsContributing to informational and educational publications pertinent to the serviceGS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) Clinical Performs patient medication profile reviews upon entering orders and utilizes knowledge of pharmacology - pharmacokinetics - pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics to evaluate orders for appropriatenessEnsures appropriate laboratory monitoring of drug therapy and provides pharmacokinetic servicesAlong with using prudent clinical judgment - the incumbent utilizes available resources including laboratory and other diagnostic data to communicate questionable therapy - non- formulary therapy or therapy outside of established criteria to prescribers and offers reasonable alternatives - responding to requests in a timely mannerProvides medication and disease state management information and participates in other educational endeavors including patient and family education and medical/nursing staff educationParticipates in Drug Utilization Evaluations and actively documents and reports Adverse Drug Events in addition to medication errorsRenews expired chronic medications to stable patients with future primary care appointmentsDrug Dispensing Enters - processes - and/or edits new prescription orders from providers accuratelyProcesses refills - partials - renewal prescription requests timelyAccurately dispenses prescriptions - medication orders - and suppliesExercises care in the dispensing of drugs - especially controlled substances - investigational and cytotoxic drugs - to assure that legal and agency regulations and instructions are followed - that proper and complete recordkeeping is maintained - and that the drug storage areas are stocked - safe - and secureReviews the patient medication profile prior to dispensing drugs and medicationsResponsible for special formulations - and for extemporaneous compounding of routine and special medications requiring complex compounding proceduresChecks technician-prepared orders when necessaryPerform other duties as assignedWork Schedule: Temple: Monday through Friday - 4:00 pm - 12:00 am (midnight) with Rotating Weekends and Holidays if patient needs arise Work Schedule: Waco: Monday through Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: May be Authorized Temporary Ad-Hoc in lieu of situations where OT for specific tasks are requiredVirtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: Clinical Pharmacist/00000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized