Clarification from the agency

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 Clinical Pharmacist part-time Inpatient Floater in this assignment 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 to ensure safe and effective care; 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); providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

Clinical Functions

• Actively engaged with providers, nurses, and patients in the medication reconciliation process to promote patient safety and ensure adherence with regulatory and quality standards.
• Reviews electronic medical record to monitor for appropriateness of drug therapy, including evaluation for adverse drug reactions, drug-drug and drug food interactions, disease due to iatrogenic cause, drug duplication, and unnecessary polypharmacy.
• Performs patient interviews including medication histories and provides education and counseling, specifically addressing compliance, instructions on how to take medications, indications for use and what to expect, including adverse effects.
• Incorporates pharmacoeconomic considerations into clinical practice to promote cost effective and evidenced-based therapy, considering but not limited to drug selection, dosage form, frequency of administration, duration of therapy, monitoring, and efficacy.
• Effectively communicates with providers to establish positive interprofessional relationships, influence clinical care decisions, and solve technical issues related to clinical practice independently as needed.
• Ensures adherence with the VA formulary and P&T committee drug therapy & policy recommendations, including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions procedures. Recommends alternative medications as needed and reviews all nonformulary or restricted-use medication requests for appropriateness. Provides patient and/or provider education where needed.
• Identifies reports and appropriately manages medication-related complications, adverse drug reactions or events, and medication errors.
• Serves as a consultant for therapeutic dosing and monitoring of anticoagulation therapy, vancomycin & aminoglycoside antibiotic therapy, adjustments for renal & hepatic insufficiency, and other medications which may require more intensive medication management. Independently operates within clinical scope of practice and/or consults with physicians regarding dosing changes when indicated.
• Provide basic information on pharmacology, therapeutics, drug-drug interactions, compatibility guidelines and aseptic techniques.
• Documenting clinical interventions/suggestions in the patients' medical record.
• Performs other clinical and staff pharmacist duties as required in periods of acute staffing needs.
• Demonstrating the knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possession of the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his or her age specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the unit's/area's/department's policies and procedures.

Work Schedule: Rotating Shifts to include, but not limited to 7:00am-3:00pm, 7:00am-3:30pm, 7:30am-4:00pm, 8:00am-4:30pm, 9:00am-5:30pm, 11:00am-6:30pm, 1:00pm-9:30pm, 1:30pm-10:00pm, 2:00pm-10:30pm, weekends, holidays and overnight coverage.
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60136F, 57052F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives:
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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 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:

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. In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-11 Pharmacist.

Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement in subparagraph 2c(1) above.)
Assignment. Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

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.
AND
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (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.

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 in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be viewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.

Note: Veterans' Preference is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other Federal agencies.

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.