Summary

VA Portland Health Care System is a Complexity Level 1a Facility and provides extensive primary - secondary - tertiary - and quaternary care in outpatient - inpatient - residential - and community settings. VAPORHCS is a multi-site medical system that includes a major medical facility in Portland - Oregon - outpatient and residential facilities in Vancouver - Washington - and 10 Community Based Outpatient Clinics.

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. To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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/
• (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 2 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
• Exception: Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B)
• The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist
• For grade levels above the GS-11 - the candidate must be licensed
• Failure to Obtain License: In all cases - pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment
• At the time of appointment - the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure - the date by which the license must be acquired - and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline
• Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment
• 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: GS-11 Pharmacist Experience - Education - and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• (NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement in subparagraph 2c(1) above.) Assignment: Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity
• GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must meet one of the following: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - OR Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program
• Assignment: A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local - Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and national policies and regulations
• These include - but are not 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
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following 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
• Preferred Experience: Minimum one year acute care/inpatient pharmacy
• 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 in the range of GS-11 to GS-12
• Physical Requirements: This work requires light lifting (under 15lbs) - light carrying - reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - both hands required - walking - standing - repeated bending - and hearing (aid may be permitted).

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The duties of this position include but are not limited to the following: The Clinical Pharmacist (CP) serves as a representative of the Pharmacy Service in a variety of positions throughout the Medical Center
• The CP is a licensed professional with knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice including pharmaceutics - pharmacokinetics - pharmacodynamics - and pharmacotherapeutics - involving direct and indirect patient care
• The CP is responsible for analyzing existing and potential drug-related medical problems and implementing corrective action to ensure that patients receive optimal drug therapy
• The CP also applies standards relating to all aspects of distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs
• The primary functions of a CP are to assure the safe and appropriate use of medications and advocate for rational drug therapy through the following: evaluation of the appropriateness of drug therapy based on patient specific factors
• individualization of drug therapy
• evaluating - dispensing - and providing medications
• and responding to drug information inquiries from patients and other health care providers
• The practice of a CP also includes quality assurance - staff and patient education - consultation - research - and formulary management
• Maintains a clinical practice within area of expertise to sustain clinical proficiency - including review of consults - direct patient care - and establishing coverage for clinical services when on leave
• Evaluates patients and monitors response to drug therapy - making recommendations for changes in drug therapy as needed depending on appropriate laboratory and clinical assessment
• Educates patients on their drug therapy with respect to compliance and dietary restrictions - heightening awareness of toxicity and interactions with other medications
• Responsible for the review of medication regimens within area of clinical practice and notifying providers of any findings that might require action - including but not limited to: a
• Misuse of medication - i.e
• abuse - overuse - or underuse b
• Inappropriate dose - dose interval - or dosage form c
• Drug and/or pharmacologic duplication d
• Adverse drug-drug - drug-lab - drug-disease - or drug-food interactions e
• Adverse drug reactions f
• Suboptimal response Suboptimal therapeutic regimen
• Opportunities for deprescribing Formulary vs
• non-formulary alternatives
• Applies knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities requiring intervention
• Recommends alternative drug therapies designed to reduce cost of medications while ensuring optimal therapeutic response
• Advises providers on aspects of clinical pharmacokinetics as it pertains to the monitoring of serum plasma concentrations and its relationship to patient response
• Also - advises providers how to individualize dosing of medications based on interpretation of these serum levels and evidence-based care
• Serves as a drug information resource for other health care providers - answering inquiries regarding therapeutics - drug interactions - dosing - side effects - etc
• Reviews medication regimens to ensure compliance and proper understanding of how and why medications are to be taken as prescribed
• Applies knowledge of the medical facility treatment areas - TPN - and USP 797 and 800 practices and associated regulations
• Provides proactive - ongoing communication related to the pharmacy programs under his/her clinical care to professional staff via Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee meetings - Medical Staff meetings - Pharmacy Staff meetings - and individualized meetings - as appropriate
• Maintains competency in best practice - medication management - and other areas related to the clinical area of practice
• Supports Chief of Pharmacy and Chief of Staff in aligning VA providers to support organizational stewardship
• Remains up to date regarding technology - management practices - and clinical practice by reviewing relevant material in reputable journals and resources
• Provides a framework for continual learning for pharmacy students - residents - and employees of all levels to ensure competence and improve performance
• Work Schedule: 7 on 7 off 7:00pm-7:00am Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized