Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current permanent employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) only. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan reimbursement program for the degree that qualified you for this position. To participate in the program, you must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA Policy 1021 and submit your application within four months of appointment. The eligibility period is five years. The final award amount (up to $200,000) is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. The EDRP Coordinators, Anna Harris can be reached at Anna.Harris2@va.gov or 615-873-6304 and Sherry Miller can be reached at Sherry.Miller5@va.gov or 423-926-1171 ext. 3487.

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Acute Care-Evenings) is a licensed pharmacist witha Doctor of Pharmacy degree and completed an American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists accredited Clinical Pharmacy Practice Residency, or other equivalent experience. The incumbent is responsible for Acute Care clinical pharmacy activities dependent on area assigned. The incumbent is responsible consultation activities and will work with the Interdisciplinary Medical (including but not limited to critical care, cardiology, and internal medicine) and Surgery Team(s) to assist in medication reconciliation, medication management, and patient education. Additional responsibilities include reviewing pharmacologic modalities used and make patient specific recommendations to improve patient pain and functional status and reduce adverse effects, assist in identifying aberrant behaviors related to pharmacologic therapy, provide education for staff regarding acute care, and assist in therapeutic monitoring of treatment if applicable. The CPS may be assigned clinical cross-coverage duties as needed to meet the needs of the medical center. Clinical Privileges or Scope of Practice documents will be acquired for practice as a provider, as directed by the Chief of Pharmacy Service, and as approved through the Pharmacy Professional Standards Board, the Chief of Staff, and the Medical Center Director.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• All inpatient/outpatient orders are checked to include patient information, correct medication, dose, route, and frequency of administration. Orders are checked for patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication and priority.
• Dispenses controlled substances with accuracy according to current policy and procedures for inpatients and outpatients.
• Serves as an authoritative information source on drugs and their uses, with special emphasis on agents which require therapeutic monitoring.
• Assist in preparing patients for discharge by evaluating the patients' medications, ordering necessary medications and providing education to the patient and/or caregiver.
• Provides oral and written consultation with other health care professionals regarding drug therapy selection or management (including drug induced problems) in an accurate, timely and professional manner. Designs a therapeutic regimen or plan, based on patient-specific information that includes establishing a therapeutic endpoint, electing an appropriate drug and related therapy, and establishing an appropriate dosage regimen.
• Supervises and trains pharmacy residents and students in acute care. Evaluates residents and students based on performance, presentations and examinations. Provides in-service presentations on acute care topics to students, residents, and professional healthcare staff. Maintains an organized and structured acute care rotation for pharmacy students and residents.
• Educates patients on the proper use and care of their medications through the day-to-day personal interactions with the patients. Documents patient education and counseling in medical record. Patient education may occur in a group clinic setting.
• Correctly interprets and adheres to all hospital and Pharmacy Service policies and procedures.
• Consistently responds to patients, family members, visitors, and co-worker requests for questions or assistance in a prompt, timely and cooperative manner.

Work Schedule: 7 days on - 7 days off, 12 hour shifts, alternating weekends and holidays.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 50126-F, GS-13
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

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 dentification 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.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Education:
  • (1) 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, Illinois60602-5109; 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.)
  • (2) 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.

Creditable Experience

(1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice. Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board.

(2) Residency and Fellowship Training. Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for year basis. The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP). A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional Standards Board refers to the Deputy Chief Consultant for Professional Practice for the determination).

(3) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level. Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination.

(4) Part-time Experience. Part-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a pharmacist employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Grade Determinations: This position is above the full performance level for Licensed Pharmacists. Must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12).

GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist: The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy.

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

• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
• Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation oflaboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: PGY-1 Pharmacy residency experience; PGY-2, board certification, or experience preferred.

References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15. Dated June 7, 2012.

Physical Requirements: The requirements vary by section. Physical Demands: The work involves considerable walking, bending, standing and stooping. Packages lifted occasionally weigh up to 40 pounds. Dexterity is required for the operation of Pharmacy equipment.

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:

• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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
• License
• Other (1)
• Resume
• 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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