Clinical Pharmacist

Clarification from the agency

This position is ONLY open to current, permanent VA Western Colorado Health Care System Employees, VA Employees Nationwide, as well as current and former OAA students. *** If you are not a current, Permanent Federal Employee please apply to the Public Announcement: CBSU-13053099-26-AGL*** NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

Inpatient

• Evaluates physician orders and patient treatment for appropriateness of therapy, patient's response to therapy, adverse drug effects, pertinent laboratory monitoring, polypharmacy, cost containment issues and prescribing compliance with established protocols and criteria.
• Verifies and processes inpatient unit dose medication orders in the VISTA Inpatient Medication package accurately.
• Ensures inpatients medications are labeled appropriately (i.e.: inhalers).
• Processes and interprets IV orders and enters them into VISTA IV Admixture package.
• Ensures IV medications (IV admixtures, IV piggybacks, TPN, etc.) are prepared accurately using aseptic technique. Checks IVs prepared by Pharmacy Technicians or prepares accurately using aseptic technique.
• Provides medications to wards via Omnicell.
• Enters controlled substances dispensed or returned accurately and timely into the VISTA Controlled Substances package and Omnicell.
• Supervises inpatient Pharmacy Technicians in all aspects of Unit Dose and/or IV Admixture areas.
• Accurately checks all manually prepackaged medications using Prepackage Logbook, and checks automated packaging steps appropriately.
• Responds to Pharmacokinetic Consult and appropriately orders labs and antibiotics. Appropriately follows up on labs and follows protocol.

Outpatient

• Interprets new outpatient prescriptions and enters them into the VISTA Outpatient Pharmacy package appropriately, using professional judgment and VA guidelines.
• Processes prescription refill requests via the VISTA Outpatient Pharmacy package appropriately.
• Evaluates physician orders and patient treatment for appropriateness of therapy, patient's response to therapy, adverse drug effects, pertinent laboratory monitoring, polypharmacy, cost containment issues and prescribing compliance with established protocols.
• Fills prescriptions timely, accurately, and appropriately using ScriptPro.
• Checks prescriptions filled by Pharmacy Technicians using ScriptPro.
• Dispenses prescriptions using ScriptPro, including asking patient to show Veteran ID Card (VIC). If no VIC, patient must have 2 other forms of identification (complete name and social security number).
• Supervises Pharmacy Technicians when filling, mailing and/or dispensing prescriptions, and compounding products.

Clinical

• Renews outpatient prescriptions when appropriate in CPRS.
• Upon request, evaluates restricted and non-formulary requests, and applies national and local guidelines to arrive at an informed decision to approve or disapprove.
• Consults with patients regarding how to take new medication appropriately, side effects and precautions. Provides written drug information.
• Consults with nurses concerning drug dosage, availability, and order changes.
• Provides medication information to nurses, physicians, and other health personnels.
• Provides inhaler patient information upon consult request. Enters CPRS note upon consult completion.
• Provides direct patient care activities via a variety of pharmacist run clinics (examples include anticoagulation clinic and new patient pharmacy consults).

General

• Responsible for controlled substance accountability.
• Represents Pharmacy Service at various committee meetings.
• Responsible for various Pharmacy related projects.
• Provides the highest level of professional and ethical behavior.

Work Schedule: 4/10 hour shifts that include alternating weekends and holidays based upon department needs.
Compressed/Flexible:Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 53080-A, 53079A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 identification 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 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).

English Language Proficiency:

• Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

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.
• 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: 3 (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:

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

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist:

• 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 (GS-11), or
  • Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • (1) Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
  • (2) Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
  • (3) Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
  • (4) 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: The physical requirements for this position include light lifting and carrying (15-25 pounds) with occasional heavier lifting and carrying, straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, using fingers, repeated bending, walking, and standing (up to 8 hours), with the ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as needed. The job also necessitates adherence to department and VHA policies, and involves sitting, climbing stairs, shelf stocking, lifting up to 50 pounds, and requires dexterity of the hand and wrist, as well as arm strength. Activities align with caring for Veterans and ensuring personal safety and security. Duties involve moderate lifting, walking, bending, stooping, standing, pushing, and pulling.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Other (1)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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