Clarification from the agency

Current VHA Employees and Current/Past Residents

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

The incumbent will serve as a Clinical Pharmacist Provider (CPP) specializing in drug monitoring and management of therapy, with a focus on infusion center related matters, including monitoring non-oncology infusion clinic orders (such as urology, ophthalmic, dermatologic, and gastrointestinal clinics), processing medications for different specialties outside the scope of oncology, completing non-chemotherapy Non-Formulary Consults, ensuring proper inventory management, and assisting the Pharmacy Technician with delivering and filling medications. This pharmacist works in close collaboration with specialty providers to ensure that infusion center patients receive safe, appropriate, and cost-effective drug therapy. The Infusion Center CPS helps bridge the gap between the pharmacist role in the infusion center, outpatient clinic, and staffing of various other specialty clinics.

Major Duties:

• Pharmaceutical Care Activities
  • Functions at the highest level of clinical practice and works independently under the Infusion Center CPP scope of practice.
  • Develops, documents, and executes therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, safest, and most economical medication treatments.
  • Ordering, subsequent review, and interpretation of appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor, support, and modify the patient's drug therapy.
  • Works towards achieving positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams by management of the infusion center. Clinical activities are focused on providing pharmacy expertise and comprehensive medication management of patients receiving infusion therapy. The incumbent is responsible for evaluating and communicating prescribed drug therapy on a daily basis to physicians and pharmacists for appropriateness, effectiveness, cost-benefit, adverse effects, allergies and disease states.
  • Performs dispensing activities in outpatient and/or inpatient pharmacy areas. Screens medication orders for appropriateness in regard to drug selection, dosing, allergies,
    drug-drug interactions, and laboratory information. Enters and/or verifies orders in the medical record and dispenses medications according to policies and procedures.
  • 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 in writing therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments.
• Education/Training
  • Provides information and educational programs (e.g., in-services, newsletters, and one-on-one encounters) directed to the development of the pharmacy staff (including students and residents), other health care disciplines, and patients with regards to pharmaceutical care in the infusion center.
  • Interacts with and educates residents, students, house staff, fellows, and attendings from various clinical services with regards to pharmaceutical care in the infusion center.
  • Presents lectures and conferences to medical, nursing, and pharmacy staff and students concerning infusion therapies.
  • Creates an environment to stimulate, encourage, and support the participation of pharmacy personnel in providing drug information to the medical center staff and other facilities as deemed appropriate.
• Administrative
  • Acts as a liaison between the specialty providers, and the Inpatient and Outpatient pharmacies.
  • Reviews all medication protocols for the Infusion Center for appropriateness, safety, and compliance with Health Care System policies and procedures.
  • Effectively communicates all appropriate information and significant events through proper channels and to the Associate Chief, Pharmacy Specialties, when appropriate.
  • Accurately completes all assignments in a timely manner as defined by Associate Chief, Pharmacy Specialties.
  • Participates in the development and enforcement of written Pharmacy and Health System Policies and Procedures.

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

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).
• 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.
• 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: 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 U.S.C. ? 7402(f)). 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.
• 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.
• 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.

• 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.

• Completion of advanced training (PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice residency and PGY-2 residency in Oncology, or equivalent experience demonstrating competency).
• Board Certification in Oncology (BCOP) or Pharmacotherapy (BCPS)

• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
• Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
• Advanced 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, 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.