Skip to main content
U.S. flag

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - PACT

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Overview

Help
Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/25/2023 to 06/08/2023
Salary
$120,055 to - $156,069 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Walla Walla, WA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSV-11986480-23-JHJ
Control number
728215500

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to Veterans and the Public. Applicants will be referred in the following order: 1. Veterans 2. The Public - US Citizens.

Videos

Duties

Help

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) is assigned to Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) in the primary care clinics. Teams are in the main hospital and associated community-based outlying clinics. The CPS will be consulted by their team(s) for comprehensive medication management of complex patients with chronic diseases commonly seen in the primary care setting.

The CPS functions at the highest level of clinical practice and works independently under an individual scope of practice to directly care for patients. A CPS functions as a member of their assigned team and serves as an advanced practice provider to initiate, modify, or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. Functions include:

Customer Service

  • Treat patient, team members, other facility employees and visitors with respect.
  • Respond to the needs of the Veteran and staff in a courteous and timely manner.
  • Demonstrate appropriate and proactive interpersonal skills to achieve the goals of the service.
  • Demonstrate an ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality.
Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice
  • Core functions include face-to-face, VA Video Connect (VVC), and telephone encounters with referred patients for comprehensive medication management in practice areas.
  • Function as a mid-level provider to design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
  • Order, perform, review, and analyze appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
  • Follow-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e., changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements.
  • Clinical pharmacy specialists will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPS scope of practice.
Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities
  • Identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive medication management through population management reports and during team huddles.
  • Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicate findings with prescribers and provide appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
  • Monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Document findings per facility procedures.
  • Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognize significant abnormalities, and make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
  • Review and evaluate requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
  • Promote and monitor compliance for established drug therapy policies.
  • Work with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
Education and Research
  • Participate in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and other staff on assigned teams.
  • Serve as a preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established policies.
  • Assist in new employee orientation, competency assessments, and mentoring as required.
Drug Information
  • Serve as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance, to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Use appropriate references to research drug information.
  • Has a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic.
  • Provide timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers.
  • Effectively instruct patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.
Program Management
  • Serve on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested.
  • Manage information security within areas of responsibility to assure computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained.
  • Ensure employee access to sensitive information is limited only to that which the employee requires to perform their duties.
  • Act as necessary to report and address violations of information security.
Work Schedule: Mon - Fri, 8am to 4:30pm
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinators @ V20CompensationTeam@va.gov Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Help

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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • 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).
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
Citizenship
. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)

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.

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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, June 7, 2012.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The work requires light lifting and carrying (under 15 pounds); reaching above the shoulder; walking (up to 1 hour); standing (up to 1 hour); repeated bending (up to 1 hour); the ability to distinguish basic colors; and hearing (aid permitted).

Education

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP). If selected for this position, you are encouraged to apply for EDRP within four (4) months of appointment and must meet specific individual eligibility criteria in accordance with VHA Policy 1021. Final award amount and program start date is determined after review of a complete EDRP application, supporting documentation, and final approval by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. Please contact the EDRP Coordinators @ V20CompensationTeam@va.gov

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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, résumé, 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.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.