Summary The inpatient clinical pharmacist is responsible for providing pharmaceutical care to assigned inpatient and outpatient areas as directed. He/she will provide comprehensive medication management through direct and indirect interactions with patients and providers to help achieve positive patient centric outcomes. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Responsibilities Major Duties:A. Medication dispensing and distribution Inpatient/outpatient orders are checked to include patient information, correct medication dose, route, and frequency of administration. Orders are checked for patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and priority. Identifies, interprets, and resolves prescribing and dispensing issues, including pharmacotherapeutics and the formulary. Documents clinical activities and workload in a timely and professional manner, including completion of all consults and encounter forms. Participates with decisions and actions with respect to the evaluation, procurement, storage, distribution of medications. Ensures appropriate storage conditions for medications including temperature monitoring of refrigerated medications. Dispenses controlled substances with accuracy according to current policies and procedures for inpatients and outpatients. B. Clinical: Participate in daily multidisciplinary team rounds (when applicable) and provide drug information, observations on patient response to therapy, and appropriate recommendations regarding treatment alternatives or additional interventions to maximize patient care outcomes taking into consideration choice of therapy, safety, efficacy, and pharmacoeconomics. Interviews and evaluates patients upon admission to the hospital and daily during hospitalization for appropriateness of pharmacologic therapy and makes a pharmaceutical care plan for those patients who need pharmaceutical care and will document the pharmaceutical care plan in the pharmacy initial assessment or progress note. Provides care and/or services appropriate to the population of the patients being served. Assesses data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their population-specific needs and to provide care needed as described in the services' policies and procedures. Provides consultative services to all professional staff regarding drug therapy. Designs and/or participates in research studies or outcomes research involving drug therapy or clinical pharmacy functions. Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable. Responds to patients' codes as assigned. Contact appropriate providers if lab calls with critical lab values. C. Education: Serves as a preceptor when appropriate for the students and residents at the VA San Diego Healthcare System Participates in self-development activities to maintain and increase professional competence. Participates in the development of administrative and clinical pharmacy research protocols, activities, or projects (when applicable) which may ultimately serve to upgrade the quality of patient care provided by the VA San Diego Medical center. Effectively instructs patients and family members upon discharge in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. Is able to adjust communication and tracking methods based on population and developmental considerations. Is able to accurately assess and document patient comprehension. Is able to refer patients to educational programs provided at the medical center by multidisciplinary teams. Participates in the development and implementation of formal and informal drug education/clinical consultation to medical, surgical, nursing, and pharmacy staff in the form of inservices and continuing education programs. Interfaces with other health-care providers and administrators to ensure compliance with established pharmacy and medical center policies and procedures. D. Administration/Technical Support: Participates in Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting. Works with other health care providers to develop programs for improvement of drug use. Participates in drug usage evaluations and cost reductions/cost avoidance measures as assigned from both cost and patient outcome perspectives. Performs monitoring of clinical outcomes and reporting of compliance for high-risk and narrow therapeutic index drugs as assigned. Manages the hospital formulary and ensures its appropriate utilization by health care providers. Participates in effective quality assurance programs for the service that meets the changing service, patient, and Medical Center needs. Accurately completes all assignments in a timely manner as assigned Effectively manages and supervises technical support in the areas of clinical responsibilities. Work Schedule: M-F, variable shifts, rotated holidays/weekends Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 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 identification 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: 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/. License: 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. Language: Pharmacists 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, candidates must meet one of the following: GS-12: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. In addition to the above determinations, applicants must demonstrate 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. NOTE: This position is being recruited at the full performance level only. References: VA Handbook 5005/55 Part II, Appendix G15The full performance level of this vacancy is 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.
