Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to all current, permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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General Description of Assigned Duties:
1. Manages all compound sterile products (CSP), Non-sterile compounding and hazardous drug management operations for VAMC Louisville. This includes coordinating and oversight of all pharmacists, technicians, trainees, and other supportive personnel involved in non-sterile and sterile compounding. Functions as the facility USP(795), USP(797), and USP (800) designated person, with oversight of all the activities and responsibilities detailed within these regulations.
Direct and oversees activities of sterile and non sterile compound and hazardous medication handling to ensure USP requirements are met. Develops and implements appropriate procedures, oversees, and assures facility compliance with VHA ,Joint Commission, and standards, ensuring competency of personnel, and assuring environmental control of all compounding areas. responsible for the monitoring of the healthcare systems compounded sterile and non- sterile preparations and hazardous drug management, storage, and handling. Including reports of all testing from all contractors and laboratories on facilities, CSPs, and components.
2.Functions or Scopes of Practice
A. Clinical
i. Considers total patient therapy and provides accurate and timely responses to the situations. Clinical services shall included but aren't limited to apppropriate responses and communication with a specialized clinical area as assigned, recommendations of alternative therapy, adverse drug reaction reporting, and documented drug information/ interaction reports.
ii. Reviews and updates the smart pump drug library for all clinical areas, reviews new drug request for applicable entry into drug pump library, Performs the functions of a GS-12 Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist as assigned.
B. Dispensing
i. Provides professional and administrative oversight of activities related to sterile and non-sterile compounding and hazardous medication handling.
ii. Ensures that safe, timely, efficient, and cost effective distribution services of com[pounding products are being provided.
iii. Evaluates the assigned pharmacy management and coordinates changes and improvements with pharmacy management. Coordinates the clinical and distributive functions compounded products.
C. Education
i. Identifies staff educational and training needs in sterile and non- sterile compounding and hazardous drug management.
ii. Maintains his or her continuing education so that he or she can present in-services to other pharmacy staff, etc...
D. Administrative
i. Directs the daily activities of pharmacists, technicians, and trainees working in the IV rooms. Maintains a smooth workflow of day to day activities with the assistance of the Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor.
ii. Prepares the agenda and minutes and facilitates the local Compounded Sterile Preparations Subcommittee, as well as serve as a member. Assists in preparing for accreditation surveys and inspections, and work towards successful accreditation from Joint Commission.
iii. Prepares issues briefs when a change in compounding operations occurs, assists in assuring quality control of work, provides input on compounding performance of staff for evaluation purposes.
iv. Interprets applicable laws, regulations and standards, and develops and implements policies and procedures regarding assigned areas to ensure compliance. Annually reviews and revises current policies and compounding processes or as needed as regulations changes. Manages assigned drug distribution record keeping, competency assessments, documentation logs, personnel and certification reporting, USP 795,797,and USP800 report processing and monitoring.
E. Quality Assurance
i. Performs quality assurance observations, monitoring, and documentation. Works closely with informatics, and automation personnel on the integration of pharmacy packages with CPRS, BCMA, VistA, Omnicell IVX, Codonics and Alaris Smart Pump library.
ii. Utilizes Simplifi software for compliance documentation, reporting, and quality assurance. Gathers data for administrative reports pertaining to the compounding program.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 0700-1530
Telework: No
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:41166-F

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

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).

(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.

Grade Determinations:
GS-13
(a) Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
(b) Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
Facility Program Manager. Manages all aspects of a distinct program to include policy development, quality resources and specialty functions unique to the program to optimize cost effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes. Coordinates a single program area of a complex pharmacy operation, or multiple program areas within a facility to develop, organize, manage, and control complex pharmacy programs. Develops, organizes, coordinates and manages single or multiple program areas within the medical facility; this may include a single program area at multiple facilities. The Program Manager title is reserved for those individuals who have one or more of the following: supervisory responsibilities for various sections within Pharmacy Service; a complex program requiring coordination of multiple locations such as medical center care facilities, Community Based Outpatient Clinics(CBOCs), rural health, telemedicine, etc; specialized areas of a complex nature such as nuclear pharmacy, quality assurance, pharmacy informatics, clinical applications coordinator, Home Based Primary Care, pharmacoeconomist or liaison pharmacist duties requiring the coordination of processes with other medical facilities or VISNs. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.


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-13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.