Clarification from the agency

Consideration (AOC) of internal VA employees and current and/or former VA trainees who will meet the VA qualifications by the time they are hired.

A. Customer Service
1) Treats patient, team members, other facility employees and visitors with respect. Responds to the needs of the service in a courteous and timely manner.
2) Demonstrates appropriate and proactive interpersonal skills to achieve the goals of the service. Acts as a team member and is supportive of the group's efforts at all times.
3) Demonstrates an ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality.

B. Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities
1) Core functions include face-to-face and telephone encounters with referred patients, for comprehensive medication management.
2) Functions as a mid-level provider to design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
3) Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.

C. Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities
1) Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
2) Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
3) Monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures.

D. Drug Information
1) Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance, to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information.
2) Has a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic.
3) Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management.

E. Program Management
1) Serve on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested.
2) Adhere to all medical center and department policies and regulations.
3) Manage information security within areas of responsibility to assure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information.


Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/25/2019.
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
  (1) Graduate of a degree program in pharmacy from an approved college or university. The degree program must have been approved by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE), or prior to the establishment of ACPE, have been a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education, 311 West Superior Street, Suite 512, Chicago, Illinois 60610-3537 Phone: (312) 664-3575), or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/.
  (2) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs or those who graduated from a U.S.-based non-ACPE accredited degree program meet the educational requirement if their degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the ACPE. This finding may be based on any of the following:
  (a) A letter of acceptance into a United States graduate pharmacy program recognized by the ACPE.
  (b) Written certification from the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission, 700 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068, Phone (847) 698-6227, that the individual has successfully passed the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination.
  (c) A letter from a United States college or university with a pharmacy degree program recognized by ACPE stating that the individual's pharmacy degree has been evaluated and found to be equivalent to its Bachelor of Pharmacy degree or higher.
• Received an advanced degree from an accredited ACPE program or are on track to complete advanced degree from an accredited program by the time of hire/appointment.
• 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 chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16 of this part.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Preferred Experience: Preferred education and training includes PharmD, Board Certification (CACP, BCPS, BCACP), PGY1/2, or equivalent experience in a similar practice area.

Current and/or former VA trainees applying to the announcement will be considered only after internal employee processes are satisfied. Qualifications for trainees should be considered based upon their projected qualifications at the time of appointment/EOD, not at the time of recruitment.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or received an advanced degree from an ACPE accredited program or are on track to complete advanced degree from an accredited program by the time of hire/appointment.

The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. 1. 1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
      2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
      3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
      4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
      5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard, GS-660

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking (3 hours per day); standing (6 hours per day); kneeling (2 hours per day); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted).

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, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate's education and experience and recommend the grade and salary at which the candidate will be placed. For internal selectees eligible for promotion, the board will determine grade and HR will determine step in accordance with policy.

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.