Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Responsibilities This position serves as the Facility Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMOP) Coordinator, working under the direction of the Chief of Pharmacy. The facility PMOP coordinator supports the Facility Pain Point of Contact (POC) in the coordination of pain management, opioid safety, and prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP)-related initiatives and implementation of VHA and the Joint Commission standards. The PMOP Coordinator works in close collaboration with the Pain POC, the Primary Care (PACT) Pain Champion, Academic Detailing pharmacists and the Pain Management Team/Pain Clinical leads and other facility stakeholders. The Facility PMOP Coordinator supports implementation of PMOP initiatives in compliance with national policy, clinical practice guidelines, and regulatory requirements. They will also support review of community provider opioid prescribing practices (as required by the MISSION Act Section 131). The PMOP coordinator is expected to be involved in pain management focused clinical care delivery for 50% of their appointment. The PMOP coordinator is expected to be licensed in a state allowing for pharmacist prescribing of CII-CV controlled substances at all times during their appointment. They will be expected to prescribe and manage all classes of controlled substances for their patients. Major Duties Administrative and PMOP Program Management Working in close collaboration with the VISN PMOP Coordinator, Facility Pain POC, Primary Care (PACT) Pain Champion, Academic Detailing pharmacists, the Pain Management Team (PMT)/Pain Clinic team members, and other facility stakeholders. Supporting a high functioning Pain Committee that includes stakeholders from across the facility, and supporting subcommittees, task forces/work groups as indicated. Developing processes/procedures to ensure implementation and compliance with national policy related to pain management, opioid safety and risk mitigation strategies, Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND), management of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), initiatives in compliance with national policy, clinical practice guidelines, and regulatory requirements. Supporting OSI reviews, data-based risk reviews for opioid-exposed patients (including Stratification Tool for Opioid Risk Mitigation (STORM) data-based reviews), and other interdisciplinary pain care forums. Supporting and tracking full implementation of the Stepped Care Model for Pain Management (SCM-PM), including a high functioning PMT/Pain Clinic at the facility, and access to tertiary pain center within the VISN including a CARF accredited interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. Collaborating to evaluate acute pain care prescribing and processes at the facility and leading improvement opportunities. Tracking facility level dashboards regarding pain management, opioid safety, and PDMP, including key parameters such as access, productivity, workload, and staffing. Measuring and reporting quality and compliance outcomes related to pain management, opioid safety, and PDMP. Facilitating facility responses to formal, sensitive inquiries related to pain and opioid safety per patient reported concerns as presented by Patient Advocacy, Executive Leadership, VISN, Congressional, or others. Clinical Functions Functions as an advanced practice provider for comprehensive medication management (CMM) services to achieve defined outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned care area(s). Prescribes, monitors, and adjusts medications related to pain management, including controlled substances CII-CV. Screens for substance use disorders when indicated, performs brief interventions when indicated, including addressing aberrant behaviors. Education and Training Participates in the orientation and ongoing training of pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, pharmacy staff, and allied healthcare professionals. Monitors the educational needs of providers, pharmacists, and patients, and make recommendations to address any deficiencies. Actively participate in supporting any defined educational programs and activities. Coordinates and supervises the activities of postgraduate residents as preceptor and maintains preceptor requirements according to the ASHP Accreditation Standards. Preferred Experience: PGY2 residency in Pain Management; Currently practicing under a full scope of practice; MUST be licensed in a state allowing full controlled substance prescribing for Pharmacist and maintain such licensure while in this role Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 09560F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 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: 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- 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. 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. Grade Determinations: Specialized Experience, GS-13: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12. This experience may include, but not be limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the specialized experience described above, you must be able to demonstrate all 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: PGY2 residency in Pain Management; Currently practicing under a full scope of practice; MUST be licensed in a state allowing full controlled substance prescribing for Pharmacist and maintain such licensure while in this role Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS13. Physical Requirements: Work is mostly sedentary in nature. Work requires moderate lifting, walking, bending, stooping, standing, pushing, and pulling. 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.
