Summary

This is for a Clinical Pharmacist with the Aleda E. Lutz Veteran Affairs Medical Center. The clinical pharmacist is a licensed professional with knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice including pharmaceutics - pharmacokinetics - pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics. The incumbent is responsible for analyzing real and potential drug-related medical problems and implementing corrective action to ensure that patients receive optimal drug therapy.

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: (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 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 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 USC.§ 7402(j))
• 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
• (1) 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 oflicensure 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
• (2) Failure to Obtain License
• In all cases - pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for Ii censure 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)
• (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation - but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation - who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration - that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation
• (3) If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation - the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• Grade Determinations: GS-11: Experience - Education - and Licensure
• None beyond the basic requirements
• (NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement) GS-12: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program
• The employee must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to complete the duties of the position - including the necessary skills to provide care appropriate to the population of the patients served
• Such knowledge and skills are identified in the Competency Assessment Checklist of the position and include but not limited to the following knowledge and skills: 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 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 11 to 12.

Duties

• Duties include - but are not limited to: The pharmacist provides appropriate selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
• monitoring for efficacy - side effects and clinical outcome
• and advises prescribers as appropriate
• Provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations to other health care providers in charge of the patient both orally and in writing
• Monitoring will include prospective review and intervention in: Therapeutic appropriateness of a patient's drug regimen Therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen Appropriateness of the route and method of administration Degree of patient compliance with the prescribed drug regimen Drug-drug - drug-food - drug-laboratory - or drug disease interactions Clinical and pharmacokinetic laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects - toxicity - or adverse effects Physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy
• Provides medication counseling to patients
• Reviews all medication orders for appropriateness - drug selection - dosage - route of administration and the amount - prior to dispensing
• Ensures all medication orders are entered into the electronic patient medical record
• Fills all orders in a timely fashion
• review of the patient's allergy history - drug-drug - drug-nutrient - drug-laboratory and drug-disease state interactions and assessment for clinical relevance should be performed and dealt with appropriately
• Provides education to health care providers regarding medication use
• Maintains basic knowledge of pharmaceutics - pharmacokinetics - pharmacodynamics - and pharmacotherapeutics in the area of practice
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday with hours between 7:00am -5:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 92847T & 919170 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized