Career Center

The Clinical Pharmacist provides distributive and clinical Pharmacy support service to medicine, surgery and specialty services within the VAWNYHS. The scope of practice of the CP covers direct and indirect patient care, drug therapy monitoring, quality assurance/improvement, staff/patient education and consultation. 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. 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. 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. 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-13 Pharmacist (a) Experience. Completion of the equivalent of 1 year of creditable experience at the next lower grade level which is directly related to the position to be filled, or board certification recognized by the American Pharmaceutical Association's Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties, or the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (or equivalent), or completion of a two year post Pharm.D. fellowship in a clinical or specialized program. (b) Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the following assignments: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. Clinical Pharmacy Specialists spend the large majority of their time in clinical practice at a higher level (GS-13) than the GS-12 level. Clinical Pharmacists at this level may be board certified and recognized by the American Pharmaceutical Association's Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties or the America society of Consultant Pharmacists. Examples of practice sites include but are not limited to: medicine, surgery, psychiatry, neurology, spinal cord injury, primary care, ambulatory care including open pharmacy, rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, medical research and others recognized by the professional standards board. Clinical Pharmacists at this level have a broader Scope of Practice than at the GS-12. Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience requirement in paragraph 3b(4)(a), pharmacists at this grade level 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. Preferred Experience: Hospital Experience References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. ["The Clinical Pharmacist Specialist duties may include but not limited to: Clinical Pharmacy Practice:\n1. Functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by VAWNYHS to directly care for patients.\n2. Develops therapeutic care plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic, and most economical medication treatments, recognizing the special drug considerations of the age and stage of life for the patient, and communicates this plan to the patient's primary provider.\n3. Applies pharmacokinetics, using rate order equations as appropriate to equilibrate serum levels using volumes of distribution and/or renal and hepatic clearances when necessary.\n4. Analyzes laboratory, imaging and clinical data so as to modify drug dosing when necessary in an effective manner and to rule out drug interferences. This may include ordering and interpreting vital signs and/or lab tests specifically related to drug therapy.\n5. Develops rational alternative medication treatment plans in cases where the initially selected plan fails to achieve the desired therapeutic result, and communicates this information to the patient's primary provider.\n6. Coordinates and carries out polypharmacy reduction efforts, effecting therapeutic changes through treatment recommendations to the patient's primary provider.\n7. Evaluates the drug literature to compare and contrast therapeutic regimens and to establish the role of new agents in the medical center. Clinical Duties:\n1. Identifies drug-induced problems that may be affecting the patient, takes appropriate steps to manage these problems and/or communicates these findings to his/her primary provider (includes drug side effects, allergic reactions, toxicities, dosage regimens, and non-compliance concerns).\n2. Counsels patients and family members concerning directions for use, side effects, precautions, and the need to strictly follow the regimen.\n3. Monitors patient profiles and ensures information is correct and up-to-date. This may include addition of or correction of documented allergies/ADRs, addition of or discontinuation of non-VA medications and discontinuation of orders per current scope of practice.\n4. Provides consultation to physicians, nurses, and other health professionals on medication management issues. This may include formal rounds, informal rounds, formal consults and informal consults and may be verbal, telephone or written consultations.\n5. Makes suggestions to aid in the selection of alternate medications when those requested are not available or when a more cost-effective approach appears appropriate. Applies the VISN2 auto substitution protocols where indicated.\n6. Supports the VAWNYHS formulary and ensures its appropriate utilization by healthcare providers. Reviews and processes non-formulary requests according to VISN2 and VAWNYHS formulary procedures.\n7. Serves as a reference source and guide to proper medication therapy and administration techniques for physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team.\n8. Conducts drug usage evaluations, and monthly reviews of drug regimens for long term care patients/residents in accordance with medical center/pharmacy policy and JCAHO standards.\n9. Participates in medication management activities such as antimicrobial management, anti-coagulation management, hemodialysis/renal medication stewardship, hematology/oncology medication stewardship, pharmacokinetic reviews and drug interaction evaluations.\n10. Participates in the medication reconciliation process as it applies to admission, transfers, discharges, non-VA medications and remote (other VA) medications.\n11. Serves as a liaison between their area of practice and the pharmacy department, helping to solve problems, clarifying orders, improving processes and communications to improve inter-service relationships. In contacts with patients, relatives, staff members, demonstrates a concerned, compassionate and professional attitude to enhance the image of pharmacy, the medical center and the VHA.\n12. Deals with difficult situations involving all levels of contacts (patient, nurse, physician, pharmacy staff, etc.) including the ability to identify key elements of a situation and weigh the relative importance of issues, and cope with the dynamics of changing situations to maintain constructive relationships as well as response to situations that may change rapidly.\n13. Responds to multiple problems or situations simultaneously with limited time and resources and successfully resolve clinical care needs. Work Schedule: Thursday - Sunday 7:00am - 5:30pm\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 21U84-A\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]