Pharmacist/Clinical Pharmacist- Outpatient-Community Care

• The Pharmacist recommends appropriate selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, monitoring for efficacy, side effects and clinical outcome; and after review with a Clinical Pharmacist, advises prescribers as appropriate.
• In conjunction with Clinical Pharmacist review, provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and/or recommendation is to other health care providers in charge of the patient both orally and in writing. Monitoring will include prospective review and intervention in:

• Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy.
• Provides medication counseling to patients.
• In conjunction with a Clinical Pharmacist, serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers, other health care professionals, patients and caregivers.
• Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program.
• Recommends formulary alternatives as appropriate.
• In conjunction with a Clinical Pharmacist, provides pharmacokinetic consultation, including dosing vancomycin and aminoglycosides, in accordance with local policy.
• Participates in quality assurance programs through submission of medication errors.

• Adds drugs and supply items to the drug file as needed.
• Maintain barcoding accuracy for all automation systems.
• Responds to pharmacy and nursing concerns related to BCMA.
• Works with pharmacy staff to trouble shoot automation system errors.
• Works with pharmacy staff to assist with and ensures routine maintenance on automation systems within pharmacy services occurs scheduled or as needed.
• Routinely reviews par levels in automated dispensing cabinets to ensure appropriate stocking and mitigate stock-outs.
• Works with Automation Dispensing Machine Pharmacy Technicians to ensure medications are appropriately stocked in outpatient clinic locations per PBM approvals.
• Assist with medication addition request to automated dispensing machines for inpatient and outpatient use (to include CBOCs). Highlighting in the process if medication request is a high alert medication and ensuring appropriate transportation of high alert medication is followed.
• Takes ownership to ensure contingencies are in place for routine and scheduled power and system outages that impact pharmacy automation equipment to include medication storage refrigerators.
• Assist with monitoring the facility temperature monitoring system, and addressing any temperature excursions per policy.
• Assist with reviewing discrepancy, override, and null transaction reports for automated dispensing machine and addresses issues with area nurse managers and pharmacy supervisors as required by local policy.
• Assist with adding and removing users into the Automated Dispensing Machines per policy.
• Reviews and updates all policies related to Automated System Support as needed and/or before policies are due for recertification to ensure all polices related to automated medication systems stay in date and accurate.
• Ensure high alert medications are labeled and stored appropriately and securely in automated dispensing machines in the pharmacy and throughout the medical facility.
• Assist in High Alert Medication review assessments.
• Collaborates with nursing services to review ongoing needs/request for additional medication/doses to the smart pump library for presentation to the facility PBM committee for review.
• Evaluates on an ongoing basis the need for additional automated dispensing equipment or enhancements to existing automated dispensing machines, refrigerators, printers, scanners or software.

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.

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. (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).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. 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.

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.

Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment.

1. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or
2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

• 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.