Clarification from the agency

Open to ALL Department of Veterans Affairs (Agency) Employees, including Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and National Cemetery Administration (NCA); as well as Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (Facility) Employees. Facility Employees will have FIRST consideration.

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VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

This is an internal announcement open to current, permanent VA employees only. All other applicants must apply under the external announcement #CBTC-11562022-22-KAM to receive consideration.

The clinical pharmacist carries out the following duties and responsibilities subsequent to establishment of a working diagnosis and initial treatment plan by the patient's provider(s) and in accordance with accepted standards of practice or the pharmacological management guidelines established by the Medical Advisory Panel (MAP).

Duties include but not limited to:

• When finishing outpatient prescriptions and/or inpatient medication orders, reviews available medication profiles for appropriateness of therapy, contraindications to drug use, therapeutic duplication, allergies, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, drug-food interactions, evidence of drug use/misuse/abuse, compliance, and formulary adherence.
• Manages various actions, as appropriate, for medication orders to include: flagging prescriptions, managing view alerts, using the "hold medication" function, and generating unsigned discontinued orders using Service Reject.
• When appropriate adjusts medications by discontinuing and/or generating new/renewed prescriptions for items other than Controlled Substances with the verbal or written approval of a physician or authorized prescriber. Adjustments are made based on review of patients' physical signs and symptoms and any relevant clinical and/or pharmacokinetic data available.
• Provides pharmacokinetic consultation, including dosing vancomycin and aminoglycosides, in accordance with local policy.
• Completes medication histories including patient interviews.
• Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program.
• Participates in the medical center medication utilization evaluation (MUE) program.
• Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per facility policy.
• Extends refills until next scheduled appointment under the provider's name per facility policy.
• Serves as a role model and preceptor to pharmacy students and residents.
• The clinical pharmacist is responsible for maintaining his/her professional competency by keeping abreast of current medical and pharmaceutical literature, new drugs and therapies, and applies this knowledge in his/her daily duties.

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)

b. 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 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). 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).

c. 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.

(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 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.

(2) 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.

d. Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard 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:
(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.

e. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

f. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as
required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Grade Determinations:GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

(a) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to
the next lower grade level OR Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm D. program.
(b) Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. 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 medications orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with the 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, non-formular reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events; assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in al aspects of medication distribution.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the KSAs identified in subparagraph 3b(3)(b)1 above.
a. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
b. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
c. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditations standards related to the distribution and control of schedule and non- scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
d. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters..

Preferred Experience: One year as a Licensed Pharmacist

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.

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.