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 job announcement is for current VA employees only. If you are not a VA employee, apply to announcement number CBSR-12906437-26-ARK.

Videos

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


Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities:

• Functions as an advanced practice provider with global scope of practice for CMM services to achieve defined outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned care area(s).
• Functions as part of the interdisciplinary team to provide CMM for chronic disease management which may include, but is not limited to:
  • Prescribes, monitors and adjusts medications related to CMM as needed and in accordance with federal/state prescribing limitations.
  • Obtains pertinent medical history and obtains accurate medication related history from patients and via chart review
  • Orders, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy; implements follow-up on treatment actions as supported by lab interpretations
  • Performs rating scales on patient symptoms and functional status
  • Provides patient and/or caregiver instructions and education
  • Uses available population health tools to identify and address risk mitigation needs focused on safe patient care
  • Performs suicide risk assessment
  • Ensures warm hand-off of complex or unstable patients to higher level care, when needed
  • Addresses other care needs and refers patients to other services for other needed care, as deemed appropriate
  • Communicates with team for next steps and coordination of care, when necessary
  • Performs limited external physical assessment and performs medication reconciliation in alignment with established policies or procedures
  • Determines if a referral to a physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require a higher level of treatment intervention
  • Follows patients via face-to-face, telehealth, telephone, secure messaging and other modalities to provide patient care
  • Documents patient encounters, clinical interventions and other information in the electronic health record in a timely, professional manner in accordance with facility medical by-laws, VHA guidelines and national accreditation standards

Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities

• 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 recommendations for alternatives to current treatment plans as needed
• Monitors and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures and in accordance with the Joint Patient Safety Reporting (JPSR) program and VA Adverse Drug Reaction (VAADERS) reporting program
• Reviews relevant population management databases to identify patients who may benefit from engagement CMM and/or risk mitigation
• Applies knowledge to interpret laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustments or recommendations based on objective laboratory findings
• Assesses, adjudicates and documents prior authorization/non-formulary drug requests (PADRs) as required.
• Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.

Educational

• Provides formal and informal education and in-services to pharmacy, medical, nursing and other staff as requested.
• Serves as a pharmacist subject matter expert in CMM for assigned committees, workgroups or interdisciplinary teams.
• Provides education to patients, their families and caregivers about medications, patient responsibilities, and information on health promotion.
• Willing to serve as a clinical instructor or preceptor for pharmacy students and residents.
• Assists in new employee orientation education sessions as needed.

Program Management, Administration, Scholarly Activities:

• Serves as a pharmacist subject matter expert on assigned committees, workgroups or interdisciplinary teams. Participates in drug use evaluations, and other quality improvement activities for practice area(s).
• Supports and promotes compliance with established drug therapy policies, formulary management and prior authorization requirements that have been approved by national, VISN, or local pharmacy benefits management (PBM) and focuses on quality patient care in a cost-effective manner.
• Participates and facilitates departmental and organizational compliance with TJC, Office of General Counsel (OIG), and other applicable regulatory and accreditation regulations and guidelines regarding patient safety and care.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday, 7:30AM to 4:00PM
Telework: Ad-Hoc (Per Agency Need)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:93079-A
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

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.
  • NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.

Grade Determinations:

GS-13

• (a) Experience.
  • In addition to the GS-12 Pharmacist requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

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 demonstrate the following 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:

• Completion of a PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency (Postgraduate year one)
• Board certified
• Experience in a clinical direct patient care role in ambulatory care setting

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15

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.