Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent employees of Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) only, to include Baltimore, Perry Point, Loch Raven Medical Centers and all CBOCs. Position is physically located at the Loch Raven Medical Center. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

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

Major Duties include but are not limited to:

Administrative:

• Ensures assigned administrative projects and reports are submitted in a timely fashion
• Effectively utilizes the VistA, CPRS, and BCMA computer systems and other automated pharmacy equipment and computer software systems
• Assists and engages in continuous survey readiness and ensures compliance with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements

Program Management:

• Functions as a Program Manager to the inpatient care pharmacy regarding planning, directing, controlling, and coordinating comprehensive distributive pharmacy services
• Incorporates performance improvement activities into all areas of the inpatient pharmacy section. Evaluates the quality of care provided by the inpatient pharmacy section and reports results to the Associate Chief of Pharmacy Service, Loch Raven
• Oversee the day-to-day operation and maintenance of pharmacy equipment and automated dispensing systems. Utilizes available reporting functions to optimize the efficiency of this equipment
• Actively participates in the VA Adverse Drug Event Reaction System (VAADERS) reporting program and the Joint Patient Safety Reporting (JPSR) system

Medication Distribution - Inpatient:

• Reviews all pending medication orders to ensure that the medications ordered are prescribed appropriately including the processing of Clinic Orders. Verifies all medication orders timely
• Flags medication orders/consults with prescribers to correct or resolve potential medication order issues 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
• Responsible for checking all medications prepared by the pharmacy technician prior to being dispensed from pharmacy. This includes checking all medications filled via automated dispensing systems and equipment
• Conducts initial and/or monthly patient drug regimen reviews for all long-term care patients when assigned

Medication Distribution - Outpatient:
Compounding Sterile Products:

• Reconstitutes, prepares and compounds commercial, non-routine and/or special formulation parenteral admixtures by means of adhering to current USP 797/800 standards
• Completes the media-fill and fingertip competency testing as required

Inventory Management:

• Assures that all medications dispensed are not past the beyond use date. Responsible to remove expired medications from stock and assure appropriate disposition for reverse distribution returns
• Notify the procurement technician to order medications to avoid potential stock shortages

Medication Distribution - Controlled Substances:

• Keeps exact and detailed records of distribution of Schedule II-V drugs. Reconciles Schedule II-V order forms with delivery record.
• Fills inpatient automated dispensing cabinet controlled substances utilizing the Controlled Substance Module (CSM) program.
• Completes daily reconciliation of all controlled substances.
• Conducts physical inventory of the pharmacy vault for all schedules of controlled substances a minimum of every 72 hours.
• Maintains inventory and informs appropriate staff when controlled substances need to be ordered.
• Checks in all controlled substances orders received in the presence of the Supply Chain Management Accountability Officer.
• Removes all expired/unusable controlled substances in a timely fashion for reverse distribution and maintains all reverse distribution records.
• Participates in the monthly controlled substance inspection of the vault.
• Performs the biannual inventory of all controlled substances stored in the vault.

Work Schedule: Multiple; shifts determined by management and service line needs
Telework: AD-HOC ONLY
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 260142-F
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

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:(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.) OR (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.

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-13 Facility Program Manager:
Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
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.
4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

GS-13 Facility Program Manager:
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
2 .Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

The Facility Program Manager manages all aspects of a distinct program to include policy development, quality resources and specialty functions unique to the program to optimize cost effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes. Coordinates a single program area of a complex pharmacy operation, or multiple program areas within a facility to develop, organize, manage, and control complex pharmacy programs. Develops, organizes, coordinates and manages single or multiple program areas within the medical facility; this may include a single program area at multiple facilities. The Program Manager title is reserved for those individuals who have one or more of the following: supervisory responsibilities for various sections within Pharmacy Service; a complex program requiring coordination of multiple locations such as medical center care facilities, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), rural health, telemedicine, etc.; specialized areas of a complex nature such as nuclear pharmacy, quality assurance, pharmacy informatics, clinical applications coordinator, Home Based Primary Care, pharmacoeconomist or liaison pharmacist duties requiring the coordination of processes with other medical facilities or VISNs.


Preferred Experience:

• 2 or more years of experience in hospital (inpatient) and/or Long-Term Care (LTC) pharmacy
• Past, Current, or Upcoming VHA Health Professional Trainees (HPT) are eligible to apply

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 GS-13.

Physical Requirements: 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. The 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.

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.

Area of Consideration: Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current, permanent Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) employees to include Baltimore, Perry Point, Loch Raven Medical Centers and all CBOCs.
2. Health Professional Trainees (HPTs).


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.