Duties
If you are a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply under CBST-12596403-24-FIJ
Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf
The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice and top of licensure and serves as an advanced practice. The Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Clinical Pharmacy Specialist will support Behavioral Health, PCMHI and SUD team in providing comprehensive medication management and SUD treatment to patients referred to the CPS for management.
FUNCTIONS OR SCOPES OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities
- Functions as an advanced practice provider for comprehensive medication management to achieve defined outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned care area(s).
- Functions as a care coordinator for patients with SUD disorders and mental health disorders, as part of an identified interdisciplinary team and offering drug use monitoring and care coordination as well as providing supporting recommendations and motivational interviewing when needed.
- Accepts urgent or same day patient visits including, but not limited to, patient medication review for polypharmacy, recent hospital or emergency department discharges, and co-managed care patients.
- The individual is responsible for both direct and indirect patient care, drug therapy monitoring, staff education, prescription inputting/finishing, patient counseling, and acts as pharmacy liaison with physicians and other health practitioners. The individual may be called upon to cover for leave/call-in for outpatient or other clinical pharmacy staff.
- Identifies any drug-induced problems that may be affecting the patient or contributing to the need for hospitalization, including side effects, allergic reactions, toxicities, improper dosage regimen, noncompliance, etc
- Candidates are highly encouraged to obtain their DEA licensure within the first 6 months of hiring in order to manage SUD patients on controlled substances such as buprenorphine/naloxone.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm (subject to change)
Compressed/Flexible:Not available
Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 01010-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not available
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact
April.Hightower1@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not available
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not available
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.
- Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle.
- Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process.
- 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.)
- English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
- 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 1 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.
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and abilities:
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management
- 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.
Preferred Experience:
- Completion of a Pharmacy Practice or Specialty Residency with a substantial component (>50%) of patient care activities in pharmacotherapy. AND
- Completion of PGY-2 Behavioral Health/Substance Abuse residency, OR
- Completion of Pharmacy Practice or Specialty Residency with substantial component (>50%) of patient care activities in Pharmacotherapy. AND
- Board of Pharmacy Specialties, Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist.
- Three years of practice experience with a substantial component (>50%) of patient care for behavioral health/substance abuse under a scope of practice, advance practice agreement or similar.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this occupation is
GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is
GS-13.
Physical Requirements: Work demands standing (4 hours), walking (4 hours), repeated bending (4 hours), twisting, and carrying/lifting moderately heavy items (15-44 lbs). Driver's license and physical exam required to confirm ability to operate a government vehicle.
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.
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:
Resume Reminder: Your resume must include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, and average hours worked per week.
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.
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- Other (1)
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
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 12/02/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12596404.
- 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.