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. This also includes Past and Current VA and VHA Pharmacy residents.

Videos

1. General Description of Assigned Duties
The HBPC Clinical Practitioner is an expert in geriatric pharmacotherapy and functions as a key member of their assigned HBPC teams working with a high level of autonomy and independent decision making and quarterly comprehensive medication reviews, comprehensive medication management through direct interactions with patients, provision of drug information to medical staff and active participation in interdisciplinary team meetings. Other duties included formulary reviews, student and resident training, staff education, quality improvement and committee involvement.
2. Functions of Position
A. Clinical
i. Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice
a. Performs comprehensive medication management by designing, implementing, adjusting and monitoring drug plans, including the initiation, adjustment and or discontinuation of medications, to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients.
b. Orders appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
c. Orders consults Nutrition, Social Work, Prosthetics
d. Alerts medical team when disease progression or adverse drug event occur that require treatment interventions.
i. Indirect Patient Care Activities
a. Performs initial and quarterly comprehensive medication reviews assessing patient's medication regimens for appropriate drug selection and dosing, contradictions, side effects, potential interactions, impact on fall risk and desired therapeutic outcomes.
b. Participates in IDTs with their assigned medical team, provides drug information, observes patient response to therapy, appropriate recommendations regarding treatment alternatives or additional interventions to maximize patient outcomes taking into consideration of the complexities of the geriatric patient. Serves as an expert on drug usage in geriatric patients for HBPC staff.
c. Assesses the educational needs of patients and caregivers and effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.
d. Monitors, reports and document drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues.
e. Reviews and evaluates non formulary/prior authorization drug requests for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria.
f. Ensures compliance with national ,VISIN and local VA initiatives, as well as regulatory standards and requirements for assigned practice area.
g. Documents clinical activities and workload in the EMR accurately, timely and professionally, includes notes, consults, interventions using tools such as PHARMD TOOL or Theradoc and encounters.
h. Address all alerts in the electronic medical record to ensure optimal patient care.
B. Education and Research
i. Employs effective written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.
ii. Provides educational presentations to students, residents, and professional healthcare staff to enhance their knowledge and skills to appropriate, safe and effective drug use
.iii. Serves as preceptor for pharmacy students and residents, actively participates in student/resident presentations, journal clubs and preceptor development activities.
iv. Assists with the education and training of new pharmacy staff members.
v. Actively collaborates with other health care providers in the design and implementation of research protocols, activities, or projects to enhance the quality of patient care provided by the VA Healthcare System.
C. Administrative
i. Actively participates in self development activities and completes annual competencies.
ii. Serves on National, VISIN, medical center and pharmacy committees as requested.
iii. Assists in the development of policies and procedures as assigned.
iv. Actively engages in process improvement, practices expansion, and best practice development or adoption activities to improve patient care, work efficiency, or financial stewardship.
v. Adhere to all medical center and department policies and regulations.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 0730-1600
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 41176-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: NO

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:
(3) 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.
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy. Pharmacists assigned to this position must also 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.

Preferred Experience: Board certification, PGY1 Resident and PGY2 Residency in geriatrics or ambulatory care.

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.