Summary The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) is responsible for providing pharmaceutical care to patients with mental health conditions. The incumbent strives to consistently provide pharmaceutical care to patients and optimizes patient care outcomes and 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. Responsibilities CLINICAL Provides comprehensive medication management to patients with mental health conditions. This includes but is not limited to initiating, modifying, or discontinuing medication therapy, ordering labs and other tests to help determine efficacy or toxicity of medications, designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring, and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing best evidence or VHA and/or published guidelines. Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, medication selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential medication interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Reviews and implements pharmacotherapy and treatment guidelines, during direct patient care or via recommendations to other providers. Documents clinical interventions and therapeutic plans accurately in electronic medical record in a timely and professional manner and appropriate. Collaborates with clinic staff to provide pharmaceutical care to patients with mental health conditions as outlined by best evidence, VHA and clinical practice guidelines. Reviews and evaluates requests for prior authorization and restricted medications for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable. Serves as an authority on medication usage, interactions, over-dosages, and adherence to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Applies good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic. Provides responses to medication information inquiries from all customers. Monitors for and reports medication errors, adverse reactions, allergies, and patient adherence issues. Reviews literature routinely to provide an evaluation of efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness for routine patient care and projects as assigned. knowledge of therapeutics and disease management. Assists with medication use evaluations and other Pharmacy and Therapeutics activities as assigned. Promotes and monitors compliance for established medication therapy policies. Documents interventions using workload capture tools as instructed (e.g.,Pharmacists Achieve Results with Medications Documentation, or PhARMD tool). EDUCATION Serves as an effective preceptor, directing and supervising pharmacy residents and students as assigned. Assists in the development, enhancement, and operation of resident and student training programs. Participates in activities of interdisciplinary training and in-servicing of medical staff, nursing staff, residents, students, and other allied health professionals at SAVAHCS as required. Instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications. Accurately adjusts communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations. Refers patients to educational programs provided at the medical center by multidisciplinary teams. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT Assists in planning and implementing Pharmacy quality assurance activities. Makes therapeutic recommendations according to best evidence or VHA and/or published guidelines. Monitors patients including adjusting medications and ordering laboratory tests to ensure effective and safe therapy. Assists in the operations of the other areas of the Pharmacy Service including distribution and clinical work in other areas. Helps achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams. Ensures timely completion of all position pre-requisites and requirements established by SAVAHCS, VISN, and VHA (e.g., documentation of licensure, education hours, mandatory training). Responsible for guidance and direction of staff members as needed by circumstance. RESEARCH Assists in designing and completing research studies involving clinical pharmacist functions, quality assurance, medication use evaluations, or pharmacotherapy. Participates in collaborative research studies involving medication therapy with other services. Supervises projects as required by pharmacy residents and students Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30AM - 4:00PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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 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. 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR, (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). (DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED) 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. (COPY OF LICENSE REQUIRED) 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-13 Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). The GS-12 requirements include: (1) 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) or (2) Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. AND the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): 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. Preferred Experience: Completion of a PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy residency. Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist or eligible. DEA holder or eligible. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Work includes some walking, standing, bending, and carrying light items such as paper and books. Most of the work is performed while seated. 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 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.
