Clarification from the agency

This is ONLY open to current permanent federal employee at the Salt Lake City VAHS, VA nationwide employees, and all other federal employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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• Performs daily comprehensive medication management on the patients admitted to the Inpatient Cardiology Team.
• Performs and documents admission and discharge medication reconciliation on patients on the Cardiology Team.
• Utilizes existing protocols for approval of restricted antimicrobials, prospective audit and feedback of broad-spectrum antimicrobials and optimizing use of antimicrobial treatments.
• Maintains current unit medication protocols and guidelines and look for opportunities to create new protocols/guidelines to guide improved pharmacotherapy.
• Participates in departmental and interdisciplinary committees to improve patient safety, therapeutic outcomes, and cost savings. Is responsible for the care of patients as well as the development of effective, professional relationships within the multidisciplinary team.
• Designs and provides effective in-service education for physicians, nurses, pharmacy technicians.
• Functions as a mid-level provider to design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
• Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy. Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy including changes in medication therapy, referral to primary care or specialty provider.
• Adjusts medication regimens based upon pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data. Interviews and/or evaluates patients upon admission and daily during hospital stay for appropriateness of pharmacological therapy and makes a pharmaceutical care plan for each patient that will be documented in the pharmacy initial assessment or progress note.
• Participates in daily rounds with the cardiology team and provides drug information, observations on patient response to therapy, and appropriate recommendations regarding treatment alternatives or additional interventions to maximize patient outcomes taking into consideration choice of therapy, safety, efficacy, and formulary issues.
• Exercises antibiotic stewardship.
• Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e. changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements.
• Assesses need for prophylactic therapies including DVT prophylaxis and immunizations.
• Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
• Performs medication reconciliation upon admission, transfer and discharge and informs healthcare providers of any discrepancies noted.
• Monitors and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures. Actively participates in the VAADERS Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting system.
• Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate.
• Applies knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
• Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable and as assigned.
• Supports effective drug usage criteria approved by the national VHA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM), VISN PBM and local Pharmacy & Therapeutic (P & T) which help to ensure quality patient care in a cost-effective manner. Ensures appropriate utilization of the VHA formulary by health care providers.
• Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate.
• Works to develop, upgrade, and disseminate acceptable criteria for use of formulary and non-formulary medications and other high-cost items directed at employed cost effectiveness with compromising the quality of patient care. Dissemination of information may occur in a setting requiring speaking in front of a large group of providers.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Conducts in-home supervisory visits with HBPC staff.

Work Schedule: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 56276-0
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

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:
  • 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.
  • 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.
• Driver's License Requirement: A current, Valid State issued Driver's License is required for this position.

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-13 Licensed Pharmacist Facility Program Manager HBPC

• Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Assignments. 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 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.
• GS-13 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  • Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
  • Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
  • Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
  • Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: Prior experience with Home Based Primary Care.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: The work is primarily office based. Some standing, bending and carrying light items such as books, medical records and paper are required. Due to the nature of the work, the incumbent may come in contact with veteran patients who are confused, intoxicated or have a contagious condition. Ability to drive a car and have a valid state license is required. Exposure to dangerous situations in the community from traffic accidents to crime is also possible. Position often places the incumbent in a position of stress.

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.