Clarification from the agency

This job announcement number is open only to Current and Permanent Pharmacy Employees of the VA Montana Health Care | Veterans Affairs.

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The duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Provides first-line coordination and oversight for pharmacist and technician inpatient pharmacy work activities, including staff leave and scheduling, staff work assignments, order verification processes, preparation of sterile and hazardous IV products, solid and liquid unit-dose preparation, Veteran and non-Veteran customer services, and regulatory compliance regarding medication control and security.
• Communicates and coordinates with purchasing and inventory control personnel to ensure appropriate communication and adequate stock inventory based on inpatient workload. Coordinates and communicates with providers when medication shortages arise.
• Monitors and provides first-line oversight of all inpatient pharmacy work-related activities (e.g., provider order entry activities, patient counseling/medication reconciliation activities, sterile product formulation, prepackaging, controlled substance processing, etc.) and works with pharmacy managers to adjust staffing and personnel assignments based on workload needs.
• Makes recommendations to pharmacy administration regarding system-related changes that might enhance departmental productivity and/or Veteran patient care services.
• Monitors and supports inpatient pharmacy compliance with existing regulatory rules, laws and standards.
• Reviews medication use and history and if needed, changes medication dosage via electronic order entry.
• Reviews include assessing laboratory results, compliance, checking for drug interactions and verification of therapy appropriateness. Orders laboratory tests for patients.
• Conducts thorough patient interviews, collects patient specific information to detect and resolve drug related problems and make therapy recommendations.
• Develops pharmacotherapy goals, designs treatment regimens and monitoring plans. Monitors therapy outcomes and appropriately modifies pharmacotherapy plans related to anticoagulation therapy.
• Ensures that all staff are competent and consistent in their application of pharmacy protocols and clinical activities.
• Documents all pharmaceutical care and medication dosage changes.
• Will obtain certification from either Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists (SIDP) or Making a Difference in Infectious Disease (MAD-ID) in Antimicrobial Stewardship principles.
• Coordinates all training and implementation of systems needed to support the Inpatient Anticoagulation Program.
• Assists with the training responsibilities for Pharmacy students and residents during their rotational period through the Inpatient Section, as well as for the Inpatient staff on an ongoing basis.

Work Schedule: Full-time | 6:30am to 3:00pm.
Telework: Ad-hoc, as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 436-61116-0
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 two (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.
Citizenship.
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: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/.

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.

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 DETERMINATION - GS-13.
Experience.
Applicant must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12. These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

In addition, applicant must also demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• 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: includes coordinating and overseeing inpatient pharmacy activities such as order verification, preparation of sterile and unit-dose products, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Communication with inventory control and providers, monitoring and adjusting staffing based on workload, and recommending system improvements. Ensuring the security of medications, particularly controlled substances, and adherence to policies and procedures are key responsibilities. Participation on various committees, providing input on personnel actions, and training staff in pharmacy protocols. Reviewing medication use, conducting patient interviews, developing treatment regimens, and monitoring therapy outcomes. Obtaining certification in Antimicrobial Stewardship, coordinating anticoagulation program training, and participating in the education of pharmacy students and residents.
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/.

Physical Requirements: Physical movements involve completion of routine pharmacy functions which include but are not limited to significant computer work/typing involving documenting patient encounters in the electronic health record, prescription order entry and processing, contact of patients (both face to face and via phone). Certain tasks are repetitive in nature and require multiple steps performed in succession for success. The incumbent should be able to lift and carry up to 45 pounds without significant difficulty. The incumbent must be able to stand or sit in one place for considerable time during completion of complex tasks. Complexity of mental processes involved is extensive, demanding, and challenging.

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.