Clarification from the agency

This Job Announcement is open to all current permanent Federal Employees, Health Professional Trainees (HPTs), and members of the public. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties include but are not limited to:
Pharmaceutical Care
1. Organizes daily workload to assure optimum, accurate and efficient completion of all medication orders, inpatient, discharge, and outpatient in assigned areas. He/she will provide quality control checks and analysis of automated dispensing equipment as assigned; fill and issue ward or clinic orders for drugs, supplies, and controlled substances as necessary, and will maintain records accurately.
2. Provides appropriate selection of drug therapy based upon pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics monitoring for efficacy, side effects, expected and actual clinical outcomes, and advise prescribers, nurses and other associated healthcare professionals based on these principles.
3. Provides patient-specific therapeutic monitoring and communicate relevant findings and/or recommendations to other health care providers involved in the patient's care both orally and in writing. The pharmacist will provide monitoring with thorough prospective and historical review and provide interventions related to:
a. Therapeutic appropriateness of a patient's drug regimen,
b. Therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen,
c. Appropriateness of the route and method of administration,
d. Degree of patient compliance with the prescribed drug regimen,
e. Drug-drug, drug-food, drug-laboratory, or drug-disease interactions,
f. Clinical and pharmacokinetic laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug
therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects,
g. Physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy.

Administrative
1. Completes all required training designated by the medical center and pharmacy service by the assigned due dates.
2. Maintains security of the pharmacy and inventory per policy and regulation. He/she will maintain security compliance by ensuring non-staff members are escorted within the pharmacy.
3. Safeguards protected health information in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy.

Sterile Compounding
1. Manufactures uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume, small volume, infusion syringe or other as required. Competence is demonstrated by utilizing correct application of aseptic technique standards to maintain sterile equipment, sterile working environment, and preparation of sterile products utilizing sterile technique in actual work performance.
2. Adheres to USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations, including ophthalmic, cardioplegic, TPN, hazardous, large & small volume IV solutions, PCAs, etc.
3. Correctly interprets physician orders, selects, and measures appropriate ingredients, mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner by completing accurate calculation and conversion of various medications dosages and strengths and documentation of such on documentation logs.

Controlled Substances Activities
1. Document all controlled substance-related transactions in line with VA and DEA guidelines, ensuring accurate inventory counts during restocking.
2. Always safeguard controlled substances, ensuring they are never left unsecured.
a. Report and assist in resolving discrepancies and comply with all regulations regarding controlled substances.
3. Appropriately restocks controlled substances items in automated secured cabinets (i.e., Omnicell) in pharmacy or throughout medical center, as assigned.

Education
1. Seeks and implement creative improvements in products or services; apply out-of-the box thinking; challenge current practices in a professional manner when they hinder goals or strategic objectives.
2. Participates in the education and training of all new employees in the department, pharmacy students, pharmacy practice residents, and pharmacy technicians. In addition, he/she will provide educational in-services to nursing staff, pharmacy staff, and other professional groups and contribute to the educational mission of the Medical Center and the Pharmacy Service.
3. Provides drug information during interdisciplinary patient care activities such as rounds, team meetings, conferences, and committees.

Communication
1. Establishes, develops, and maintains effective working relationships and rapport with Facility Providers, Nursing and other departments as needed.
2. Expected to communicate in a manner that affords internal and external customers the ability to experience positive exchange and outcomes.

Work Schedule: 7 days ON, 7 days OFF(day and evening hours) ; alternating 12 and 10-hour shifts; Tour may be adjusted or extended to meet patient care needs.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 53163-F, 55085-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.

*HPTs who are on track to graduate/complete the requirements should respond as if they have met the requirements. Provide details in the narrative sections of the assessment.

Basic Requirements:
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.)

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).

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 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.

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).

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:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Grade Determinations:

GS-11 Pharmacist Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

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.

You must also demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) in your resume:

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

Assignment. 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 medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and 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, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

Preferred Experience:

• 2 years of hospital pharmacy experience within last 5 years
• 1 year of VA inpatient hospital experience within last 2 years
• IV/Chemo training or experience within the last 5 years

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

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Standing (6 hours); Repeated bending (1 hours); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental/Emotional Stability.

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.