Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees. Past, current, and upcoming VHA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) are eligible. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties:

Inpatient Activities

• Ensures that preparations are unaltered therapeutically by incompatible or interacting drugs.
• Conducts weekly inventory of controlled substances stored in the IV room Automated Dispensing Cabinet (ADC).

Centralized Unit Dose Program

• Consults with the prescriber to correct or resolve potential medication problems by end of shift.
• Provides information to physicians, nurses, dietitians and other allied health care professionals on drugs, their characteristics, contraindications, dosages, adverse reactions, and availability.
• Conducts discharge counseling of patients, answering questions regarding their drug regimen, which includes advising patients of potential drug-related or health related conditions which may develop from the use of the medication for which the patient should seek additional medical care.

Outpatient Activities

• Ensures that there are no significant or critical interactions (without intervention documentation) with other drugs that the patient is currently taking, that there is not duplicative therapy and the patient has no known allergy 10 the medications prescribed.
• Reviews the patient's narrative field to verify approval for non-formulary medications, prior authorized drug requests and/or any other restrictions.
• Consults with patients, providing information and answering questions regarding their drug regimen.
• Obtains information from patient regarding the use of any non VA provided medications or herbal products and documents this information into CPRS.

Order Processing File

• Reviews, interprets and verifies all outpatient medications orders to assure appropriateness. Reviews patient's out-patient medication profile to ensure that the medications are prescribed appropriately, at the correct dosage, and free of potential drug interactions or incompatibilities, which could alter the desired or expected therapeutic response.
• Ensures that there are no significant or critical interactions (without intervention documentation) with other drugs that the patient is currently taking, that there is not duplicative therapy and the patient has no known allergy to the medications prescribed.
• Ensures allergy assessment information is documented/reviewed before finishing any medication orders.
• Reviews the patient's narrative field to verify approval for non-formulary medications, prior authorized drug requests and/or any other restrictions.

Order Processing General

• Reviews and evaluates changes in therapy questionable therapy and potential medication problems are discussed with prescribers and alternatives are recommended; and is required to provide sound clinical information and make recommendations on which drugs are therapeutically equivalent, dosage differences, cost comparisons, etc. upon request by the clinical staff.

Prescription Dispensing

• Checks prescriptions filled by technicians for accuracy prior to dispensing to the patient.
• Dispenses drugs and supplies to ambulatory patients on presentation of prescriptions.

Controlled Substances

• Assures secure, accurate, and accountable distribution of DEA Schedule II through V controlled substances.
• Fills inpatient/ADC/Ward stock controlled substances orders using the Controlled Substance Module (CSM) program.
• Conducts the required 72-hour inventory.
• Reviews inventory and alerts appropriate staff when controlled substances need to be ordered.
• Checks in all controlled substances in the presence of Supply Chain staff.
• Processes controlled substances for destruction.
• Participates in monthly controlled substance inspection of the vault.
• Reviews all controlled substances dispensed to the ADCs through use of CSM.

Clinical Functions and Skills

• Reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems.
• Participation in medication education programs; including formulary options.
• Assisting in formulary management to include therapeutic substitutions/formulary conversions by PBM/P&T guidelines and Non-Formulary Medication or Supply consult reviews with proper training.
• Performing and documenting medication reconciliation in CPRS template.
• Medication counseling and assessment on herbal, over-the-counter and alternative medications.

General Responsibilities

• Assures all medication dispensed are not past the use date and appropriate disposition for reverse distribution/returns.
• Assist with procurement processes when necessary.
• Other duties as assign based on the needs of the Pharmacy Service.

Work Schedule: Multiple; all shifts are determined or approved by management and based on service needs; holidays and weekends rotating
Compressed/Flexible:Not Available
Telework: Available; Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 26002F/25616F
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.
• 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).

Grandfathering Provision: All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

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-11 Pharmacist

Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment. Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

1. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or;
2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):

1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. 3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
3. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: 2 or more years of experience in retail (outpatient) and hospital (inpatient) pharmacy.

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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the position require regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 40 pounds, pushing and pulling of large carts. This job may include significant time at a computer terminal.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the VA Maryland Health Care System facility (512). This includes medical centers and CBOC's within VAMHCS.
2. Health Professions Trainees (HPT's).

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.