Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current permanent Central Arkansas Veteran Healthcare System Employees including satellites and Past/Current/Upcoming HPT Graduates.

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The duties of the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) include, but are not limited to:

Clinical Practice (Patient Care)

• Participates in the design, implementation and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
• Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, medication reconciliation, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required.
• Applies knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities.
• Demonstrates principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is knowledgeable and able to make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings and medical evidence.
• Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
• Performs drug use evaluations on behalf of national, VISN and local medical center initiatives as needed.
• Reviews and verifies medication orders to be administered to patients in primary care, prior to administration, for appropriateness and to reduce potential risk of adverse drug event.
• Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
• Unique functions requiring the individual to maintain a SOP:
  • Serves as the primary provider to initiate, modify or discontinue patient's medication therapy.
  • Orders, performs, reviews and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
• Monitors for and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues, documents findings per facility procedures.
• Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies.
• Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
• Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested.

Education and Drug Information

• Participates in the training and in-servicing of medical staff, nursing staff, residents, students, and other allied health professionals as required.
• Instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.
• Assists in new pharmacy residents and employee orientation sessions as scheduled.
• Assists in the development of proposals for improved and/or new clinical pharmacy services.
• Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians and students.

Research

• Participates in research projects either as the Primary Investigator or co-investigator and conducts or participates in the design.
• May serve as a primary research preceptor for pharmacy residents.
• May publish research in peer-reviewed journals independently or as a contributing member of the research team.

Administration

• Knows and follows administrative requirements of the hospital and those specific to the Pharmacy Formulary, investigational drugs, and general distributive functions.
• Provides collateral documentation for appropriate tasks as required by Pharmacy policy and procedure.
• Submits appropriate quality assurance and workload monitoring data accurately in the proper format and in a timely manner.

Supervisory/Distributive

• Verifies accuracy of transcription and/or transcribes information into computer system or medication administration record as appropriate.
• Supervises supportive technical staff, residents, and pharmacy students in performing, or performs, all activities involved in the procuring, preparing and dispensing of medications and in providing information.
• Assures adherence to accepted policies and procedures in accordance with State and Federal laws in drug and supply compounding, packaging, labeling, distribution, and recordkeeping.
• Supervises and/or performs processing of controlled substances and pharmacy dispensing orders in accordance with VA policies and procedures.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 3:30 pm, 7:30 - 4:00 pm or 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 598-01290-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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 evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• 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.
  • 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).
• 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.

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-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS):

Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities KSAs:
a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: Residency training preferred.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.