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Clinical Pharmacist

Veterans Health Administration | Charleston, SC

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Posted Date 12/20/2024
Description A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations.

A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations. These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying outpatient 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 drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

Additional Clinical Functions are:
  • Promoting evidence-based cost effective therapy including, but not limited to drug, dose and frequency of administration, duration of therapy, monitoring and costs associated with therapy.
  • Recognizing, reporting, and managing medication-related complications adverse drug reactions and errors.
  • Providing clinically appropriate drug information to patients, patient's family members, and medical center staff as appropriate.
  • Demonstrating the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to adult and geriatric patients in his or her assigned unit, area or department.
  • Communicates with physicians concerning appropriate medication therapy and solves technical problems independently.
  • Recommending appropriate drug therapy as indicated by P&T committee approved pharmaceutical care plans. Enforces the VA formulary and provides physicians with alternate medications. Implements P&T Committee policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions to include appropriate patient and provider education.
  • Recognizing, reporting and managing medication-related complications adverse drug reactions and errors.
Distributive Functions:
  • Directing pharmacy technician support, where applicable. Coordinating medication orders with central pharmacy or CMOP when necessary.
  • Filling or verifying previously filled prescriptions on ScriptPro, including non controlled and controlled prescriptions.
  • Dispensing medication to patients using the ScriptPro system.
  • Ensuring prescriptions are properly routed via window pick-up, mail, overnight carrier. Ensuring medications awaiting pick up are properly stored or if shipped are shipped according to proper procedure.
  • Provide assistance to the vault pharmacist as needed.
  • When necessary counseling patients and/or relatives on prescription before they are dispensed when requested by the patient. The medication, dosage and schedule are appropriate. The patient understands the dosage prescribed and indication for therapy
  • The patient understands potential side effects (most common)
Educational Functions:
  • Acquisition and maintenance of the clinical knowledge necessary to provide clinical pharmacy services to the inpatient and ambulatory care areas.
  • Responsibility for keeping abreast of changes in the Pharmacy Service (i.e. formulary additions and deletions, interdepartmental memoranda, relevant station memoranda, and policies and procedures. and to maintain a general knowledge of VA, DEA and Joint Commission regulations).
  • Provision of orientation and training to all Doctor of Pharmacy students and residents assigned to their area.
  • Presentation of in servicing and conferences to other members of the pharmacy or medical center staff.
  • Contributions to informational and educational publications for the medical center house staff and attending physicians.
  • Contact with patients, relatives, staff members and other individuals dealing with the Medical Center demonstrates a concerned, compassionate and helpful attitude to enhance a positive image of the Medical Center and the VA system.
  • Develops and promotes a "can do" resourcefulness helping patients, relatives, staff members and others within and between services by providing information in a professional, dependable, reliable, and timely manner to facilitate accomplishing deadlines.
  • Interacts with coworkers in a way that promotes a harmonious and cooperative working environment.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:30pm
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 534-58352F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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: 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 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).

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

GS-11 Pharmacist
Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level):
Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:
  • One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11), OR
  • Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.
AND must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities:
  • 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.
Preferred Experience: None.

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.

Physical Requirements: This work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients.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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Salary115,519.00 - 160,638.00 Annual
Opportunity Type
Job

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