Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees and current or former VHA Health Professions Trainees (HPT) only. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Administrative
  • Provides direct supervision to CPP in the inpatient areas, including IMH, CLC and RRTP; writes functional statements, position descriptions and performance standards. Additionally, they will evaluate employees and recommend personnel actions.
  • Interviews employee candidates, recommends appointments, special advancements, within-grade increases, or disciplinary actions, as appropriate.
  • Evaluate, approve, and deny staff leave requests and certify timesheets.
  • Provide orientation, competency assessments, and mentoring for new CPP in inpatient areas.
• Program Management
  • Devise CPP schedules and determine and coordinate coverage plans.
  • Lead team meetings for CPP.
  • Complete labor mapping reviews.
  • Assure that pharmacy programs are maintained in accordance with accepted standards of professional care.
  • Assist with coordination of the professional practice evaluation process.
  • Develop and revise policies and procedures for clinical pharmacy programs.
  • Review decision support system data for clinical pharmacy staff to ensure accurate mapping and clinic assignments.
  • Display flexibility in assignments and performs other duties as needed.
  • Develop and implement new programs, or coordinate appropriate changes in existing programs, as necessary, to enhance customer service, improve quality, and advance pharmaceutical care.
  • Manage and ensure optimum utilization of all resources (personnel, fiscal, equipment, space, etc.) available to the clinical pharmacy section. Assist with cost savings initiatives as needed.
• Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities
  • Core functions include face-to-face, VA video connect (VVC), and telephone encounters with referred patients for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice.
  • 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 practitioners will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPP scope of practice.
  • Document clinical interventions in CPRS.
• Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities
  • Responsible for serving as chairperson for the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program Subcommittee and ensuring various antimicrobial stewardship activities are completed as assigned.
  • 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, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes 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.
  • Assist Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee with medication use evaluations and other safety initiatives.
  • Assist with drug conversions and shortages when needed.
  • Promote and monitor compliance for established drug therapy policies.
  • Serve on medical center and/or regional committees as requested.
• Education and Research
  • Participate in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and other medical center personnel as required.
  • Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. Able to adjust communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations, and accurately assess patient comprehension.
  • Is skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.
  • May serve as preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established protocols.
  • Assist in new employee orientation sessions as scheduled.
  • Assist in the development of proposals for improved and/or new clinical pharmacy services.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Ad-hoc may be eligible at supervisory discretion.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 93707-0

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: 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 2 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 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.
• 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 Requirements:

• Creditable Experience
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • 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 4 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-13 Facility Program Manager

Experience. You must have one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Examples of such specialized experience include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities. 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: Direct patient care and/or completion of a PGY2 residency.

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.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion. The physical demands of the work includes moderate lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 44 lbs., pushing and pulling of large medication carts, light lifting of under 15 pounds, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, good dexterity (both hands required), walking up to 4 hours, standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, kneeling, repeated bending/stooping, climbing, use of legs and arms, operation of vehicle/motorized cart, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20, specific visual requirement, ability to read fine print on labels, depth perceptions, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid permitted), clear speech, and emotional stability.

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.