Clinical Pharmacist (Inpatient Pharmacy)

Summary

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.

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Duties

The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist must be a licensed pharmacist, whose primary function is to provide professional expertise in the preparation and dispensing of pharmaceuticals, monitoring the use of pharmaceuticals and organizing and prioritizing work. The incumbent performs all assigned duties and responsibilities under the direct supervision of a pharmacy supervisor, but functions independently utilizing sound judgment when interpreting physicians orders, reviewing patient therapeutic regimens, consulting with physicians and nurses, counseling patients concerning the appropriate use of medication, and when detecting and evaluating potential drug interactions and adverse effects of drug therapy. The incumbent provides pharmaceutical services to adult male and female patients including patients over 65 years of age in, but not limited to, medical, surgical, psychiatric, special immunology, spinal cord injury, long term care, nursing home and rehabilitative medicine services. Primary functions include prescription dispensing, IV admixture and unit dose order entry, review of medication profiles, patient medication counseling, quality assurance review, documentation and medication-related problem resolution.

The tour of duty for this position will be a rotating schedule, established by the Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor. For the needs of Pharmacy Service, the incumbent maybe tasked to perform all functions or support other activities (internally/externally), and may therefore be temporarily reassigned to other areas

Other primary duties of this position include but are not limited to:

Dispensing

• Interprets and verifies physician orders.
• Fills, reviews, and dispenses medications appropriately.
• Dispenses chemotherapy preparations.
• Prepares, verifies, and/or dispenses sterile intravenous preparations.
• Interprets and enters medication orders into the VISTA system for assigned patients.
  
  

Clinical

• Reviews pending orders/prescriptions and accurately utilizes computer information to monitor and evaluate drug therapy and eliminate duplication of medications.
• Provides consultation to physicians, nurses, and other health professionals concerning drug therapy.
• Responds to drug information requests from physicians, nurses, and other health professionals.
• Resolves patient's drug related problems and documents findings/resolutions as required.
• Provides patient medication counseling. Counsels patients concerning the safe, effective use of medication, prescribed dosages, potential adverse effects and drug-drug and drug-food interactions.
  
  

Administrative

• Reviews and verifies the completeness and accuracy of work of all supportive personnel assigned to area of responsibility
• Assists and advises the supervisor on the proper and effective operation of the section. Acts as liaison to all members of the staff and provides accurate information relating to policies, procedures and regulations.
• Assures accurate, appropriate maintenance of required dispensing records. Reports malfunctioning equipment to assure timely repair of equipment to maintain operational efficiency.
• Assures adequate inventory levels of all required drugs and supplies and completes compounding and prepackaging records to verify the accuracy of medications prepared by technicians.
  
  

Education

• Assists in the training and development of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, student technicians, student pharmacists, and pharmacy residents. Identifies needs for continuing education and makes appropriate recommendations.
• Assures that employees are properly trained in the operation, maintenance and basic repair of equipment utilized in the preparation and dispensing of medications
  
  

Program Assignments

Narcotics and Controlled Substances

• Dispenses controlled substance prescriptions requested by the wards, clinics, and other departments authorized to administer narcotics and other controlled substance. Reviews patient profiles for possible misuse or abuse of controlled substances.
• Maintains all required dispensing records and files. Maintains and records the monthly and biannually inventory of all controlled substances.
• Reports and investigates inventory discrepancies within 24 hours. Completes required reports concerning possible theft or loss of controlled substances.
• Documents the returns and delivery of all expired or contaminated controlled substances to the registered controlled substances.
  
  

Work Schedule: Overnight 10hr compressed tours including weekends and holidays.

Telework: Available, ad-hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 30258F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Please contact jamie.wunsch@va.gov, Miami EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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Requirements

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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
  
  

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: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:



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. OR
• 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.

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.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
  
  

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following 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.
  
  

Assignments. 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 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); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.



Preferred Experience:

• 2 years inpatient hospital experience
• Experience with sterile and non-sterile compounding, inpatient automation and unit dose pre-packaging
  
  

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: Work is performed primarily in pharmacy areas. Such areas are adequately heated and ventilated, and safety precautions are required. In some cases, dealing with anti-neoplastic drugs may expose the incumbent to hazardous and toxic agents. The incumbent works with drugs/chemicals and must exercise precautions to avoid accidental contact to the skin, eyes and lungs.

Education


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/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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• Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center

1201 Northwest 16th Street

Miami, FL 33125

US