Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to the public and includes all U.S. Citizens and other current permanent Federal employees of other agencies. VA employees should apply to announcement CBSY-13030378-26-MI NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The incumbent provides assurance of medication history on admission, performs medication reconciliation, monitors and optimizes inpatient pharmacotherapy based on patient specific factors, provides patient/caregiver counseling at time of discharge, and communications pertinent pharmaceutical care planning to the next level of care. Indirect patient care activities include pharmacy benefits management, staff development, research support, quality assurance, medication utilization review, education of healthcare professionals, and teaching/mentoring to incorporate students, interns, residents, and other trainees into patient care. As a preceptor, the incumbent takes responsibility for the development of the resident to a level of full performance within the preceptor's area of practice.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:

Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy Program: The incumbent will provide clinical pharmacy services, support pharmacoeconomic activities, and is responsible for assessing, monitoring, managing, and documenting medication therapy for assigned patients. Activities include:
1. Participates in a patient-focused, team-based multi-disciplinary model of patient centered care to promote positive patient outcomes through direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers.
2. Documents patient care and clinical activities and interventions in the medical record and in other documentation systems as appropriate.
3. Provides clinical care in anticoagulation, pharmacokinetics, and other areas as assigned.
4. Maintains Basic Life Support (BLS) certification. Inpatient pharmacists are also encouraged to maintain Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification. Pharmacists assigned to routinely cross-cover the ICU pharmacist will maintain ACLS certification.

Inpatient Pharmacy Program Services: The incumbent will provide clinical pharmacy services, support pharmacoeconomic activities, and is responsible for assessing, monitoring, managing, and documenting medication therapy for assigned patients. Activities include:
1. Participates in inpatient work groups to develop and optimize processes to ensure the most efficient, safe, effective, educational, patient-centered, and team-focused patient care.
2. Effectively organizes workload to complete work within the assigned shift. Solves problems independently whenever possible, working with co-workers and other health care professionals. Discusses ongoing issues in a positive and constructive manner, utilizing continuous improvement techniques.
3. Participates in quality improvement activities, pharmacoeconomic initiatives (e.g., drug conversions), committees, and workgroups in support of pharmacy service goals and plans.
Possesses or develops knowledge to become a subject matter expert in a particular acute/specialty care area relating to inpatient pharmacy practice. Act as a resource to other staff in this subject area.

Education:
1. Assists in the training of pharmacy employees, pharmacy residents and Pharm.D. students assigned to the practice area in coordination with program manager(s). Develops appropriate rotations and learning opportunities for pharmacists, pharmacy residents and/or pharmacy students. Precepts trainees in advanced clinical pharmacy practice areas. These learning experiences will be documented and evaluated appropriately and timely.
2. Collaborates with program manager(s) on pharmacy training and development, to promote the learning experience and improve the performance of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy residents and students.

Research/Project Management:
1. Follows research protocol criteria and study medication procedures.
2. Ensures that patients participating in drug studies have their medication needs met in a timely, cost efficient manner.
3. Participates in the development and implementation of MVAHCS projects, which may involve pharmacy residents and students.
4. Leads a pharmacy department endorsed and approved project, or mentors a pharmacy resident project at least annually.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENTS: Meets the needs of customers while supporting the medical center and service missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, visitors, volunteers, and all medical center staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.

Work Schedule: Full-time, days, evenings, weekends, holidays
Telework: If available, Ad-Hoc ONLY
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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 identification 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

All requirements must be met at the time of the announcement closing.

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.
  • Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed.

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.

1. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment.

• 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.

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-11 Clinical Pharmacist

• Experience, Education and Licensure: None beyond basic requirements.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist

• Experience or Education: In addition to basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:
  • 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, OR
  • Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. AND
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
  • Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
  • Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Creditable Experience:
(1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice. Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board.
(2) Residency and Fellowship Training. Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for- year basis. The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP). A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional Standards Board refers to the Deputy Chief Consultant for Professional Practice for the determination).
(3) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level. Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination.
(4) Part-time Experience. Part-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a pharmacist employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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.