Clarification from the agency

Open to All U.S. Citizens --CURRENT PERMANENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND VHA TRAINEES SHOULD APPLY UNDER CBST-10851379-20-AYC.

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The duties of the Clinical Pharmacist include but are not limited to:

• Order Entry/Review Process/Drug Distribution
  • Accurately processes medication orders in a timely manner including (but is not limited to) correct patient, drug, dose, form, quantity, directions, route, and conformity to current policies and procedures. Accurately verifies and dispenses completed prescriptions to patients ensuring correct medication, patient identification, patient documentation, and signature or other documentation of dispensing.
  • Interacts with and makes recommendations to patients and medical center staff regarding policy matters and medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care. Provides and appropriately documents patient counseling.
  • When appropriate, fills outpatient prescriptions, refill extensions, partial medication supplies, inpatient medication orders and issues ward or clinic orders for drugs, supplies and narcotics in accordance with scopes of practice and current VHA, pharmacy, and hospital policy. Adheres to proper aseptic technique following USP 797 guidelines. Maintains proper records for all transactions.

• Clinical
  • The incumbent assures the accuracy of drug dispensing and the compounding of medications based on patient history and medication reconcilition, good clinical practice, and other pertinant factors. This includes (but is not limited to) data entry into the computer, taking health and medication histories, screening orders for drug-drug and drug-food interactions, dosing errors, allergies, physical assessment, interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters, documenting and assessing adverse drug events, incompatibilities, contraindications, duplication of therapy, and formulary availability. When appropriate, the provider is informed through oral and/or written means in order to resolve discrepancies. Once satisfied, the pharmacist will (release) send the order forward for filling.
  • Provides drug information to physicians, nurses and other associated health care professionals. Provides oral and written drug information to inpatients and outpatients, as appropriate. This may involve open training sessions/discussions with providers or patients, questions received via telephone or electronically (e-mail etc.). Demonstrates ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff and documents clinical interventions in patient record and other data collection tools as appropriate.
  • Participates in pharmacy and medical center quality assurance activities and the medical center's Medication Use Evaluation (M.U.E.) program, as appropriate.
  • Assists the Chief, Pharmacy Service in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews, and medication usage evaluations. Accurately processes Non-Formulary Consults as assigned in a timely manner with strict adherence to pharmacy guidelines and criteria for use. Gathers information supporting the inclusion of drugs into (or removal of drugs from) the formulary at the national level.
  • Maintains effective interdepartmental relationships by committee membership, active problem resolution skills, and close cooperation with other services in accomplishing the medical center mission and goals.
  • Assists in other patient care areas as deemed necessary to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. Assists in medical emergencies as necessary.

• Education
  • Assists in the instruction and guidance for professional or technical level pharmacy students and assists in the training of new technicians and pharmacists. Completes mandatory training requirements in a timely manner. Maintains active licensure and certifications as necessary.
  • Reviews and corrects the work of pharmacy technicians, aids, and students.
  • Assists in total quality improvement activities by participating in medical center and service process assessment and action teams and continually seeks to improve services.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing 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
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination

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: Citizen of the United States (U.S.). (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)).
  • Education.
    • (a) 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. Copy of transcript showing award of degree required. OR
    • (b) 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). Copy of foreign education evaluation report required.
  • 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.
    • 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 of38 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.
    • Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, pharmacist must maintain a 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. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0660 clinical pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment.
• • Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
  • English Language Proficiency. Clinical Pharmacy Specialists must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
  • Grandfathering provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on June 7, 2012 or prior are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
    • 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.
    • 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.

• 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or
• Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

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.

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.