Clinical Pharmacist-Inpatient Pharmacy

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. 1. Current permanent VA Puget Sound facility employees 2. Current permanent Agency (Department of Veterans Affairs) employees

Duties will vary by grade, but at the GS-11 level:

• Promotes pharmaceutical care service to Veterans in medical center clinics and on inpatient wards.
• Provides prescription dispensing and controlled substance and high-cost drug accountability.
• Reviews, interprets, and verifies medication orders for clinical appropriateness; collaborates with the providers at the front end of the prescription order process to improve patient outcomes; reviews patient's medications, allergies, labs and other pertinent information from the medical record for appropriate drug selection, dosing, contraindications, and potential interactions; contacts providers as appropriate.
• Proactively collaborates with providers regarding medication therapy including anticoagulation management, renal dose adjustment, pharmacokinetic monitoring and dose adjustment, pain management, electrolyte and glycemic management, parenteral nutrition management, IV to PO conversions, sedation/analgesia management, and antimicrobial stewardship i.e. vancomycin per pharmacy.
• Documents clinical pharmacy activities in the electronic health record (EHR) including therapeutic changes and recommendations with appropriate encounter information according to pharmacy standard operating procedure.
• Completes medication reconciliation upon admission, transfer, and discharge, ensures the patient's medication profile is updated, and documents appropriate transitions in care.
• Provides medication counseling and verifies patient understanding of the medication, its intended purpose, proper use, expected outcomes, and how to obtain refills/renewals.
• Critically evaluates and completes non-formulary medication requests by using evidence-based decision making.
• Participates in quality improvement and patient safety programs including patient incident and adverse event reporting, medication use evaluations, drug alerts, drug recalls, drug shortage mitigation, pharmacy related clinical performance measures, and other projects related to patient outcomes.
• Maintains knowledge and practice to help ensure full compliance with medical center accreditation standards and other regulatory requirements.
• Assists in medical emergencies by participating in code blue events.
• Trains, educates, and precepts pharmacy residents and/or pharmacy students.
• Provides support to and oversight of technical staff in aspects of medication distribution.
• When assigned, serves as Pharmacist-in-Charge in the absence of a supervisor to ensure continuity of patient care and pharmacy operations.
• Performs other functions as assigned by supervisor.

Work Schedule: Night Shift 10:00pm-8:00am. Sunday-Wednesday with occasional Holidays.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 41491-F
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.
• 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

NOTE: THE 2-PAGE RESUME REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS OCCUPATIONAL SERIES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, REFER TO REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BELOW.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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

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

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

Assignment: 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. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):

1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. 2.
2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. 3.
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.

Preferred Experience: Seeking a highly qualified clinical pharmacist with two or more years of recent inpatient experience in a hospital setting. Candidates must hold an active U.S. state pharmacist license. Strong clinical judgment, effective decision-making skills, and experience calculating complex medication infusions is essential to this position. The ideal candidate will have inpatient pharmacy experience at a Medical Center hospital with an advanced inpatient pharmacy automation system (Pyxis or Omnicell), experience in critical care or emergency medication infusions, and a working knowledge of the USP 797 and USP 800 sterile compounding standards. The position is for a Graveyard tour. Therefore, only seeking candidates interested in the specified tour of duty as listed.

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: This work requires Light to heavy lifting (15-45 pounds and over), moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), reaching above shoulders, use of fingers, both hands required, walking, standing, repeated bending, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to jaeger 1 to4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors, hearing (aid may be permitted), mental and emotional stability. Environmental factors include constant noise, dust, unusual fatigue factors (extensive keyboard/mouse use), working closely with others, working alone and protracted or irregular hours of work.

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.

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:

• Full Resume/CV with no page limits.
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

NOTE: Claiming Facility, Agency Eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent (not more than 1 year old) Notification of Personnel Action, SF-50 (Not an award SF-50). Your SF-50 must include:

• Position title, pay plan/series/grade
• Tenure code
• Position Occupied type of appointment (Competitive or Excepted)

Within Grade Increase, General Adjustments, or Promotion SF-50's are best, Award SF-50's do not include this pertinent information.

RESUME REMINDER: Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
-Job title-Month & Year start/end dates (e.g. June 2016 to April 2018)
-Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
-Duties (be as detailed as possible)
-Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held.
Failure to provide this information will result in resume disqualification and non- referral.


Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

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
• Full Resume/CV with no page limits.
• License for GS-12
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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

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