Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies, past/current/upcoming gradudates of VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) program. First consideration will be given to facility employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The CPS serves as a provider with prescriptive authority as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice.

The CPS functions as part of the CLC Team and is most effective when embedded within teams assigned to patients to support continuity of care.

The CPS has full responsibility to develop necessary services such as physician consultation, patient monitoring, patient counseling and medication management, including but not limited to monthly chat reviews, within their areas of expertise.

The CPS promotes and manages drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge that is consistent with policies established at the national, VISN, and local levels.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Practices as the CPS for the assigned team. The CPS supervises pharmacotherapy provided by team providers to ensure that National Treatment Guidelines are being followed in addition to adherence to National Formulary and local policy. The CPS will independently manage unstable pharmacotherapy patients in their pharmacotherapy clinic/reviews, improving the clinical efficiency and quality.
• Completes an assessment of patients' medication regimens upon admission, and then at least monthly, to the facility, including a comprehensive medication reconciliation and identification of drug related problems. Reviews medication profiles and summarizes significant findings which are documented in the medical record and reported to the primary provider. Identifies any drug induced problem that may be affecting the patient or contributing to the need for hospitalization, including adverse effects, allergic reactions, toxicities, improper dosage regimen design, noncompliance, etc.
• Fully utilizes the highest level of clinical privileges for CPSs to manage assigned patients.
• Under appropriate supervision by a physician and with approved clinical privileges assumes authority to direct therapy, order lab tests as indicated for appropriate patient monitoring.
• Interfaces with providers, including physicians, PAs, ARNPs in the design of the veteran's treatment regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy.
• Serves as an authoritative information source on drugs and their utilization in therapy, with special emphasis on medications used in treatment of the assigned patients.
• Evaluates the drug literature by analysis of experimental design and methodology, in order to compare and contract therapeutic regimens and roles for new drugs, with a special emphasis in medications used in referred patients.
• From a verbal or written patient presentation of signs, symptoms, laboratory tests and diagnoses, recognizes and lists important medical problems, disease states, symptoms or abnormal laboratory values that may necessitate altering the therapeutic regimen or which may be induced by drug therapy.
• Establishes and expands the patient data base through interpreting the drug history, medical history, physical examination and ongoing patient specific monitoring of therapy, with documentation in the formal patient medical record.
• Designs a therapeutic regimen or plan, based on patient-specific information that includes establishing a therapeutic endpoint, electing an appropriate drug and related therapy, assessing appropriate of gradual dose reductions when appropriate, and establishing an appropriate dosage regimen.
• Monitors and assesses therapeutic and adverse effects of drug therapy (including drug interactions) through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters.
• Provides consultation on selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens as a follow-up of nontherapeutic drug concentrations obtained from ambulatory care and inpatients.
• Works to publicize and institute criteria for use of formulary and nonformulary medications and other high cost items directed at employing cost effectiveness without compromising the quality of patient care.
• Provides physicians and other providers a focal resource for discussion of medical problems requiring a pharmaceutical intervention.
• Interviews patients for conducting a medication history, discussing medication therapy, and formulating a pharmaceutical care plan; performs medication reconciliation as a component of provider duties.

Work Schedule: Employees may be required to work day, evening, night, weekend, holiday and or compressed, tours on a rotating schedule. The hours may vary per the needs of the service and will rotate, on a fair and equitable basis, to include weekends and holidays.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 82559F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN8CCOE@va.gov, EDRP Coordinators for questions/assistance. Learn more

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.
• 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 examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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).

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 2 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. 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.

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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

Preferred Experience: PGY2 in an applicable area and board certification in pharmacy or other related area
Selective Placement Factor

Quality Ranking Factor: PGY1 in an applicable area and board certification in pharmacy or other related area

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 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, pulling, 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.

Area of Consideration:

• VHA Employees Only

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.