Summary
The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Oncology) is responsible for outpatient oncology pharmacy care activities with an extension of services to the Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), including Infusion Center activities, Clinical Privileges or Scope of Practice documents in Oncology will be acquired for practice as a provider, as directed by the Chief of Pharmacy service, and as approved through the Professional Standards board, the Chief of Staff, and Medical Center Director.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This job is open to All US Citizens
Duties
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws
Duties for the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Oncology) include, but are not limited to the following:
- Facilitates all outpatient orders to include patient information, correct medications, dose, route, and frequency of administration. Orders are checked for patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and priority.
- Identifies, interprets, and resolves prescribing and dispensing issues, including pharmacotherapeutics and formulary. Documents interventions as necessary.
- Acts as a provider within a scope of practice provided by privileges accorded by the Pharmacy Professional Standards Board.
- Evaluates prescribed drug therapy and communicates daily to physicians/pharmacists for appropriateness, effectiveness, cost-benefit, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and disease states.
- Renders appropriate care to patients receiving Oncology/Infusion services, including appropriate computer documentation and follow-up activities.
- Completes all patients' interviews and assessment notes appropriately in a manner consistent with the current quality assurance policies.
- Supervises and trains pharmacy residents and students in oncology, including the Infusion Services for patients. Evaluates residents and students on performance, presentations, and examinations. Provides in-service presentations on oncology and pain management to students, residents, and to professional healthcare staff. Maintains an organized, structured, clinical oncology rotation for pharmacy students and residents.
- Designs and/or participates in research studies (including drug utilization evaluations) with the oncology physicians and/or other research collaborators.
- Patient Education - The clinical pharmacy specialist shares a mutual responsibility with other health care practitioners for providing drug-related patient education and counseling. Using suitable oral, written, or audiovisual communication techniques and methods, the specialist will inform, educate, and counsel patients about their drug therapy in order to maximize proper use of medications and, therefore, improve therapeutic outcomes.
- Medical Center Staff Education - The clinical pharmacy specialist is responsible for providing the medical centers staff with accurate, comprehensive information about drugs and their use and shall serve as the department's primary resource for meeting its drug information responsibilities.
- Continuing Education - The clinical pharmacy specialist is responsible for maintaining and improving professional competency by keeping up with information on new drugs, new drug therapies, and innovations in pharmacy practice. The clinical pharmacy specialist must continually apply current drug information and program techniques in daily practice.
- Effectively communicates all appropriate information and significant events through proper channels and to the Associate Chief of Pharmacy. The clinical pharmacy specialist is required to prioritize work to meet operational and patient care needs. Pharmacy Service Policy and Procedures, VA Regulation and State and Federal Pharmacy Laws will serve as operational guidance.
- Develops and Manages, continually, the Oncology student rotation and PGY-1 clinical rotation and supervision of all PGY-1 residents assigned to that area.
- Occasional travel away from the duty station to visit CBOC's or other sites as appropriate for patient care or training needs may be required or as directed by Pharmacy Services. Mandatory training to use a Fleet Vehicle must be completed annually.
- Participates in clinical and administrative committees as assigned.
- Maintains relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public that are courteous, respectful, and cooperative in nature. Performance must demonstrate the ability to adjust to change or work pressure in a pleasant manner, handle differences of opinion in a businesslike fashion, follow instructions conscientiously, and function as a team member, helping the group effort where possible.
- Provides professional and technical advice, support, and assistance to all customers with a view towards accomplishing the service mission (i.e. customer service).
Driver's License Requirement - A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. Note: We cannot accept photographs; therefore, please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License.
Work Schedule: 0730-1600
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 30550F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Citizenship - Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)
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, 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.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.
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:
- 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.
Physical Requirements - See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
English Language Proficiency - Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
GRADE-LEVEL DETERMINANTS - (In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria MUST be met when determining the grade of candidates)
GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Experience or Education - In addition to the GS-12 requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:
- 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12)
Assignments - Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
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 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 of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
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/.
Benefits
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.
Review our benefits
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.
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.
Applicants are responsible for providing the information needed to determine their qualifications for the vacancy.
This includes information such as:
- the vacancy announcement number
- position title and grade
- how to contact the applicant
- descriptions of jobs held including:
- the name and address of employer
- job title
- description of duties
- beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment
- average hours worked per week
- supervisor's name and phone number
- education (including name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned"
- other information (such as possession of licenses, certificates, etc).
Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the applicant's level of experience. Although not mandatory, if the position is (was) with the Federal government (military or civilian), applicants should state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion.
Basis for Selection: Selection for positions will be based on the objective evaluation of the candidates' total qualification for the position. "Qualifications" mean the combination of experience, training, education, skills, knowledges, abilities, personal characteristics, and merit factors deemed to be pertinent to successful performance.
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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to 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.
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- 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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/04/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12548897.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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