Summary The Part-Time Clinical Pharmacists will be responsible for all veterans receiving care on an inpatient ward, ICU, O.R., day surgery, dialysis unit, x-ray, GI lab, Cardiac Cath. lab, CLC, and the emergency department at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care | Veterans Affairs. Responsibilities The Part-Time Clinical Pharmacists will be responsible for all veterans receiving care on an inpatient ward, ICU, O.R., day surgery, dialysis unit, x-ray, GI lab, Cardiac Cath. lab, CLC, and the emergency department at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care | Veterans Affairs. The duties include but are not limited to the following: The clinical pharmacist provides appropriate recommendations for the selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; monitoring for efficacy, side effects, toxicity, adverse effects, and clinical outcomes; and advises prescribers as appropriate. Provides consultation for patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring. Communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations, both orally and in writing, to other pharmacists and health care providers in charge of the patient. Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy. Completes medication histories including patient interviews. Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers other health care professionals, patients and caregivers. Participates in patient care rounds, reviews charts, evaluates pertinent laboratory data, drug-drug and drug-nutrient interactions, monitors for adverse drug effects, and screens for allergies. Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care, including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications. This may include adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient is not taking. Assesses drug safety and efficacy, including evaluation of physical symptoms. Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program. Recommends formulary alternatives and completes non-formulary consults as assigned. Participates in medical emergencies including code teams (if BLS or ACLS certified) and emergency preparedness activities. Provides pharmacokinetic consultation, including dosing vancomycin and aminoglycosides, in accordance with local policy. Implements P&T Committee policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions to include appropriate patient and provider education. Facilitates pharmacy service policies and procedures to manage recalls and medication shortage situations, including substituting alternate dosage strengths and instructions of the same medication to equal the prescribed dose and schedule. Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per facility policy. Extends refills until next scheduled appointment under the provider's name per facility policy. Serves as a role model and preceptor to pharmacy students and residents. Work Schedule: Part-time | Monday to Friday | Rotational - evening, overnight, weekends and holidays. Telework: Ad-hoc, may be authorized at Supervisory discretion. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 554-55649-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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 English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. 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: 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. GRADE DETERMINATIONS GS-11 Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. NOTE: Non-licensed Pharmacists, who otherwise meet the basic requirements, may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as Graduate Pharmacist at the GS-11 grade level for a period not-to-exceed (2) two years from the date of employment on the condition that such Pharmacist provide care only under the supervision of a Pharmacist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. GS-12 Experience and Education. One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. 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. 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). Preferred Experience: Inpatient Pharmacy; BCPS; ASHP PGY1 Residency. 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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
