Summary The inpatient clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice as mid-level practitioners, working independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. The incumbent has prescriptive authority and is a mid-level provider that can initiate, modify and discontinue medications in accordance with their prescriptive privileges. Responsibilities VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Duties include but are not limited to the following: Clinical Functions: Demonstrates competence in differentiating individual patient pharmaceutical care needs based on patient age from adult (18-64) through geriatric (65+). Initiates and executes evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic regimens and monitoring plans. Accountable for medication reconciliation in accordance with national and facility guidelines. Orders, performs and interprets the physical measurements necessary to monitor, support and modify the patient's medication therapy. Orders, reviews and interprets appropriate laboratory tests and other studies necessary to monitor, support and modify the patient's medication therapy. Effectively monitors and assesses patient outcomes to drug therapy, managing ongoing therapy or transition to other levels of treatment. Monitors for and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies and patient compliance issues per facility procedures. Performs prospective panel reviews and actively participates in population management. Serves as a resource within the team for formulary management issues, implementation of VHA criteria for use. Completes all documentation in a professional and concise manner to accurately reflect care plans allowing for safe and efficient care throughout the care continuum. Contributes pharmaceutical guidance with development and review of evidence-based treatment protocols, criteria for use and new medication requests. Develops an efficient and thorough approach to retrieving, analyzing and providing timely oral and written professional responses to the health care team. Seeks out and recognizes best practices, understands how and applies these concepts to makes effective decisions that facilitate change and produce positive outcomes. Serves as a mentor in the development and conduction of resident research projects including development of research questions, methodology, application to IRB and assisting with presentation and manuscript Designs, conducts, and publishes original research in refereed journals or as abstracts in scientific meetings in areas of expertise, independency or as a contributing member of a research team. Collaborates with other clinical researchers (pharmacy, medical, non-medical). Advises the Investigational Drug Services, Pharmacist on any service line related drugs studies. Serves as an investigator as appropriate. Designs and coordinates drug utilization evaluations and the clinic's quality assurance program. This includes the collection and compilation of data and the preparation of reports to be provided to the appropriate committees. Distributive Functions: Assigned to coordinate workload activities and expected to direct colleagues or technicians to complete routine tasks of the shift and assigned area. Timely and constructive feedback to the immediate supervisor is expected when assigned workload cannot be completed. Carefully executes each step in the dispensing process according to law, regulatory standards, VHA policies and standard of care to ensure safe and appropriate medication therapy. Continually identifies and implements strategies to optimize the cost-effective use of medications for KCVAMC. Some examples include, implementation of VA clinical practice guidelines, tablet splitting endeavors, procurement and drug availability, etc. Administrative Functions: Assists in the identification, development and implementation of new programs or services in their area of practice. Routinely identifies the patient or customer's situation properly and consistently resolves the problem accurately and in a timely manner to promote positive pharmacy service interactions. Exhibits initiative and resourcefulness in managing time and workload to meet deadlines and changing priorities. Independently identifies and resolves clinical and administrative problems that occur in their service. Effectively communicates across service lines as necessary to achieve resolution. Collaborates with Associate Chief, Clinical Pharmacy Services and CPP to develop sustainable and consistent practices across the health care team. Assesses the education needs of medical center staff and provides appropriate and timely formal/informal education on an ongoing basis. Attains the indicated goals for all assigned quality and clinical metrics. Actively participates in the clinical pertinence review process and competency assessment documentation for any assigned staff. Actively participates in VHA or Medical Center committees or work groups. Work Schedule: Varies Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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 1 or 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. Candidates must meet the Basic Requirements and the Grade Determinations below: 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. NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification. 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 - Clinical Pharmacy Specialist GS-660-13: In addition to the Basic Requirements, Pharmacists assigned to the GS-13 grade must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) that includes knowledge of 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. Additionally, you must also demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. 2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. 3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. 4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. 5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: Completed residency training with anticoagulation management experience within VHA Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard. This can be found at your local human resources office. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking within KCVA medical center, KCVA off-site locations and non-VA community care offices/facilities. Additionally, occasional lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies may be required, and bending, stooping or stretching. 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.
