Clarification from the agency

This job announcement number is open to the Public - U.S. Citizens. | All Current, Permanent Employees of Department of Veteran Affairs and other Federal Agencies please apply to the Internal job announcement number CBSU-12869446-26-LS (link/click in box below).

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The Clinical Pharmacists will be responsible for all veterans receiving care on an inpatient ward, ICU, O.R., day surgery, dialysis unit, x-ray, GI lab, Cardiac Cath. lab, CLC, and the emergency department at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care | Veterans Affairs.

The duties include but are not limited to the following:

• The clinical pharmacist provides appropriate recommendations for the selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; monitoring for efficacy, side effects, toxicity, adverse effects, and clinical outcomes; and advises prescribers as appropriate.
• Provides consultation for patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring. Communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations, both orally and in writing, to other pharmacists and health care providers in charge of the patient.
• Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy.
• Completes medication histories including patient interviews.
• Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers other health care professionals, patients and caregivers.
• Participates in patient care rounds, reviews charts, evaluates pertinent laboratory data, drug-drug and drug-nutrient interactions, monitors for adverse drug effects, and screens for allergies.
• Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care, including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications. This may include adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient is not taking.
• Assesses drug safety and efficacy, including evaluation of physical symptoms.
• Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program.
• Recommends formulary alternatives and completes non-formulary consults as assigned.
• Participates in medical emergencies including code teams (if BLS or ACLS certified) and emergency preparedness activities.
• Provides pharmacokinetic consultation, including dosing vancomycin and aminoglycosides, in accordance with local policy.
• Implements P&T Committee policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions to include appropriate patient and provider education.
• Facilitates pharmacy service policies and procedures to manage recalls and medication shortage situations, including substituting alternate dosage strengths and instructions of the same medication to equal the prescribed dose and schedule.
• 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.

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.

• 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.

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

Citizenship.
Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Education.
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: 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.)

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.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS - GS-12
Experience and Education.
One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs.)

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, 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.