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 open to current, permanent facility employees of the El Paso VA Health Care System (EPVAHCS) VA Health Care System, and HPT eligible candidates only.

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

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) also known as the Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner (CPP)will be assigned to serve patients within the ambulatory care clinics. Clinical Teams are located in the main facility and associated community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). CPP can be consulted by team(s) for comprehensive medication management of complex patients with chronic diseases commonly seen in the primary care setting. Alternatively, identification of patients via population-based metrics, patient self-referral, outpatient pharmacy services, or other appropriate modalities can also facilitate the enrollment of a patient into the CPS clinic.

The Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their individual scope of practice to directly care for patients. A CPP functions as a member of their assigned team(s) and serves as an advanced practice provider to initiate/prescribe, modify, or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services.

Clinical Functions
1. Is directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
2. Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
3. Is actively involved in reviewing 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.
4. Extends medication therapy until the next medical appointment when patients are out of maintenance medications. (limited to non-controlled substances unless CPP has appropriate credentials)
5. Monitors for and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures.

Polypharmacy, Transitions of Care, and Palliative Care
1. The incumbent will have the prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice for CPP to promote and manage drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge that is consistent with policies established at the national, VISN and local levels.
2. Assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of the patients' medication regimen by reviewing medical records and/or interviewing the patient as appropriate.
3. Evaluation and recommendations on medication related problems that may include, but are not limited to: potential drug interactions including other drugs, food, laboratory tests, or concurrent disease states
a. contraindicated medications
b. inappropriate therapeutic regimens
c. adverse drug reactions
d. iatrogenic conditions e.poor or unusual therapeutic responses
f. compliance with therapy
Polypharmacy
(a) The incumbent will act as the primary CPP for medication and polypharmacy reviews for the healthcare system.
(b) The CPP is expected to provide recommendations for deprescribing or appropriate adjustments to patients' medication lists.
(c) Will target specific medication related problems as identified by the referring provider as well as address issues identified during patient appointment as appropriate.
(d) May assist in coverage for other CPPs in cases of call out, walk-ins, or other circumstances where the assigned CPP is unavailable.
Transitions of Care
(a) Coordinates clinical pharmacy functions for patients transitioning care from various inpatient facilities to outpatient care, which includes ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) and non-ambulatory care sensitive conditions (NON-ACSC).
(b) The CPP shall contact assigned/scheduled patients in a timely manner to ensure that medications regimens have been reviewed, that the patients are adhering to regimens as prescribed, and identifies and acts on any barriers to medication adherence.
(c) Performs medication assessment of patients' medication therapy, monitors as needed, and makes recommendations or changes within scope of clinical privileges as necessary. Frequency and timeliness of reviews will be determined by multidisciplinary team, The Joint Commission, and/or other regulatory requirements.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:45pm
Telework: AD-HOC (Employees who telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term basis, and have completed required telework training and telework agreement.) (Portion of day acceptable)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 54419-F
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact: vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
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.
    (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.
  Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
  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).

Grade Determinations: GS-13
Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower 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:
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:
-Three or more years of direct patient care experience.
-Pharmacy PGY-1 Clinical Training
-Board of Pharmacy Specialties Certification or Pharmacy PGY-2 Clinical Training.
-At least one year of experience in inpatient/hospital pharmacy or transitions of care management.
-Experience in precepting PGY-1 Pharmacy Residents and Pharmacy Student Interns.

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13

Physical Requirements: The position will require light lifting (under 15 pounds), light carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of finger, walking (2 hours), standing (2 hours), repeated bending (1 hour), ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors.

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.