Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This announcement is open only to current employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs, current Federal employees AND past, current and upcoming participants of the VA Health Professions Training (HPT) Graduates. All others please apply to: CAZM-12873572-26-PT

Videos

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

Duties are but not limited to:
GS-11:
Dispensing:
1. Organizing the workload and establishing optimum workflow in the area assigned so as to complete the workload as accurately and efficiently as possible.
2. During the medication verification process, optimization of tablets/capsules and all approved P&T Committee cost containment initiatives will be completed by the Pharmacist to ensure cost effective therapy.
3. Screening, profiling, entering, and verifying physician orders. Orders should be screened for accuracy and appropriateness of drug, dose, form, route, and interval. This includes drug-drug and drug-food interactions, allergies, incompatibilities, contraindications, and formulary availability. Physicians or other appropriate healthcare professionals are contacted when necessary. Problems are dealt with in an appropriate manner and if unresolved the appropriate pharmacist is contacted.
4. Supervising the technicians' preparation and the dispensing of all medications for patients. Dispensing outpatient prescriptions or unit dose medications. Ensures appropriate technique is used in the preparation of IV orders. Provides quality control analysis for dispensing activities of automated dispensing equipment, i.e., compounders, etc.
5. Filling and issuing of ward or clinic orders for drugs, supplies, and narcotics as necessary. Maintaining records accurately and properly.
6. Maintaining adequate levels of medications, forms and supplies pertinent to this area, will forward problems concerning procurement to the appropriate supervisor.

Clinical:
1. Providing pertinent information concerning the proper use of medications.
2. Providing drug information to physicians, nurses, and other associated healthcare professionals.
3. Acts as liaison between the wards or other patient care areas and the pharmacy distribution area, helping to solve problems, clarify orders, provide additional information needed, and to improve communications.
4. Participates in the pharmacy and medical centers quality assurance activities.

Administrative:
1. Assisting in the orientation and training of all new employees, students, technicians, and trainees, and assist in their evaluation by providing feedback as to their progress and performance.
2. Assuming the responsibility for the immediate supervision and operation of the area to which assigned; including the supervision of technicians and students, organizing work flow, and handling all routine problems and responsibilities associated with that area. Works generally with supervision by the pharmacy supervisor.
3. Assisting in the collection, tabulation, and preparation of administrative data and reports pertinent to pharmacy programs.
4. Inform administration in a timely manner of changes in the volume or nature of assigned duties which could affect job distribution or task assignments.

GS-12:
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.
4. Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimization of drug regimen.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7am- 3:30pm, rotating weekends/ holidays. Tours/ hours may be adjusted or extended based on patients needs.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 55085-F & 53163-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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.
• 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:

• 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 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.)
• 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).

Grade Determinations: GS-11:
Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

Grade Determinations: GS-12:
In addition to the basic requirements, to qualify at the GS-12 level you must meet ONE of the following:

• 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level OR
• Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. AND

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

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

Physical Requirements: Moderate Lifting (15 - 44 lbs); Moderate Carrying (15 - 44 lbs); Straight Pulling (up to 1 hour); Pushing (up to 2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 4 hours); Standing (up to 8 hours); Repeated bending (up to 1 hour); 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; ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted).

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.