Clarification from the agency

Applicants will be referred in the following order: First - Current Permanent VISN 20 Northwest Health Care Network Employees; Second - Current Permanent VA Employees Nationwide; Third- Health Professions Trainee (HPT).

Videos

*This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date.*

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Professionally receives and handles escalated telephone calls from and responds to veterans, their family members and/or legal representatives regarding a broad range of topics, including: appropriate use of medications and medical devices, basic billing inquiries, clinical questions, medication refills/renewals, drug-drug interactions, adverse effects, food-drug interactions, product availability, and pharmacy policies as appropriate.
• Monitors provider's orders for appropriateness of therapy and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, incompatibilities, side effects and patient compliance issues and appropriately interacts with the ordering provider or attending as needed.
• Actively reviews patient medication regimens for cost effective drug selection, dosing, contraindications, therapeutic duplication, appropriate route and method of administration, drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Provides findings and responses to drug information requests to prescribers in a timely manner and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
• Utilizes patient care information systems such as VistA and CPRS to obtain critical patient data elements and to document clinical interventions and other pertinent patient care issues in a timely and professional manner.
• Manages recalls and medication shortage situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths or products per facility policy.
• Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per VISN CCC policy.
• Manages various actions, as appropriate, for medication orders to include flagging prescriptions, managing view alerts, using the "hold" function, and generating unsigned discontinued orders using the "service reject" function.
• Reviews prescription renewal verification requests and takes appropriate action to extend refills until the next scheduled appointment under the provider's name per VISN CCC policy.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
• Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care, including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non- VA medications.
• Applies knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities.
• Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
• Supports the goal of processing all medication requests in a timely manner by consistently meeting established VISN CCC standards and exhibiting proficiency in all assigned categories.
• Processes secure messages appropriately and in a timely manner as assigned.
• Maintains professional competency, licensure, therapeutics and disease management and continuing education requirements by keeping abreast of current medical and pharmaceutical literature, new drugs and therapies, and applies this knowledge in his/her daily duties.
• Has a good working knowledge of information resources such as Micromedex, Clinical Pharmacology, Up To Date, Facts & Comparisons, or other relevant pharmaceutical references, both written and electronic.
• Participates in continuous daily improvement, Unit Practice Councils and similar quality improvement initiatives.
• Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy residents, pharmacy students, and other medical center personnel as required.
• Acts as a point-of-contact for outside services in assisting with patient care issues.
• Completes additional duties as assigned.

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.

• 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.

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:
  • 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. (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. 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. 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 licens e 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.
  • 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

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

• Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:
  • 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or
  • 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.
  • 4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

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.