Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Includes Past, Current, and Upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) graduates. This announcement is open only to current federal or Department of Veterans Affairs employees.

Work Schedule: Start time between 6:00-8:00am , may include some holidays and weekends
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 09715F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Compliance oversight of all pharmacists, technicians, trainees, and other supportive personnel involved in sterile and non-sterile compounding, cleaning, and disinfecting clean room areas, and/or hazardous drug management.
• The incumbent may perform the duties of an Inpatient Clinical Pharmacy Specialist or Oncology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist as necessary, in addition to more extensive services of both clinical and administrative nature as pertains to Compounded Sterile/Non-sterile Products and Hazardous Drug preparation.
• This position reports to the Associate Chief, Inpatient Pharmacy Service to ensure efficient operation of USP 795/797/800 Programs.
• This may include rounding, collaboration with specialty clinics, participation on various committees regarding Compounded Sterile Product issues, (Nutrition Support Working Group, Oncology Service, Infusion Service, CSP advisory), reviewing IV and other drug therapy including calculations, clinical assessments, drug information services, extensive interpretation of medication orders, providing pharmacokinetic consults in collaboration with other Clinical Pharmacy Specialists, preparing and verifying chemotherapy and/or other hazardous drugs/biological preparations, and providing in-service education and training.
• This position may be involved in research activities and precepting pharmacy students and residents.
• Develops and implements appropriate procedures, oversees, and assures facility compliance with USP chapters <795>, <797>, <800> and other applicable laws, regulations, and standards, ensuring competency of personnel, and assuring environmental control of all compounding areas.
• Ensures the competency of pharmacy personnel and ancillary staff in the preparation and handling of CSP and cleaning and disinfection of clean rooms through initial and ongoing competency assessments, annual training, and standard testing within established timeframes. Review and revise compounding policies and procedures annually or more frequently as needed and recommends updates.
• Collaborates with Safety, Infection Prevention, and Quality to develop a formal written CSP Safety and Quality Assurance (QA) Plan in accordance with USP <795>, <797> and <800> standards.
• Demonstrates recognized expertise in the area of IV Admixtures, including VISTA programs and software utilized to support IV Admixture service, and has assumed extra responsibility in the area. Interacts with physicians and other health care professionals, IV Admixture Staff, Clinical Specialists, working closely with them to provide the best pharmaceutical care to patients receiving intravenous admixtures.
• Responsible for quality assurance audits involving the IV Admixture Program and gathers data for or performs drug use evaluations when required. Incumbent prepares and presents criteria for medication use evaluation pertaining to IV admixtures when requested or prepares drug information extracts for use by the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee in determining formulary status of IV drugs.
• Gathers data for administrative reports pertaining to the IV Admixture Program.
• Coordinates and manages all aspects of a complex pharmacy program for sterile compounding to include policy development, quality assurance, and other specialty functions unique to the USP 795/797/800 programs to maintain regulatory compliance, medication safety, quality assurance, cost effectiveness, and patient outcomes.
• Conducts annual assessment of medical center compounded sterile products (CSP) program following established guidelines and regulation by VHA, USP 797, USP 800, FDA, the Joint Commission, ISMP, OIG, VORP, etc.
• Serves as direct supervisor to 6.0 FTEE: Sterile Compounding Pharmacy Technician, Oncology Pharmacy Technician; Oncology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist; Pharmacogenomics Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, and Specialty Clinical Pharmacy Specialists (2). Responsible for scheduling, time and leave management, performance evaluations, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of programs within their area(s) of oversight. Reviews and updates functional statements for associated staff, and interviews and participates in selection of pharmacy personnel.
• Has full administrative authority over subordinates and ensures that services meet or exceed professional and legal standards. Oversees the operations of the IV Admixture programs, directing work assignments, establishing priorities, and reviewing work of subordinates.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

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.
• 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

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).
• 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.
• 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: Pharmacy Supervisor, GS-13

• Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Responsible for the professional and administrative management of an assigned area in pharmacy service, to include budgetary execution. Such individuals have responsibilities for supervising multiple pharmacists and technicians. Manages people, maintains effective interdepartmental relations, and cooperates with other services to accomplish the medical facility's mission and goals. Develops performance standards, assures that the program area is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements, designs and implements orientation and training programs for staff, and develops and maintains systems to monitor the performance of staff activities. Develops policies and procedures relative to their assigned area. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Ability to effectively supervise subordinate staff.
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  • Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards pertaining to pharmacy.
  • Skill in managing people or programs.

Preferred Experience:

• Extensive experience with USP <795>/<797>/<800> cleanroom operations.
• Prior supervisory or leadership experience in sterile compounding environments.
• Experience training staff and developing competency programs.
• Knowledge of IV admixture service software and pharmacy informatics workflows.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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:

• Other (1)
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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 (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• 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.

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

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