Pharmacist (Clinical Specialist)

Summary

This position is located at the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC, Indianapolis, IN Pharmacy Service. The Outpatient Clinical Pharmacist performs the professional functions required in the operation of an outpatient dispensing Pharmacy. This includes activities that legally require a registered Pharmacist, as well as those that require the knowledge and expertise of a pharmacy professional. The Clinical Pharmacist works under the general supervision of an Outpatient Manager. See Duties section below.

Learn more about this agency

Duties

Help

FUNCTIONS include but ar not limited to:

Clinical

• Provides timely responses to drug information requests from patient care providers and nurses.
• Evaluates other care provider's orders for appropriateness of therapy, incompatibilities, side effects and interactions of drugs and drug products.
• Utilizes patient care information systems such as EHMR to obtain critical patient data elements and to document pertinent patient care issues.
• Provides medication use counseling at time of patient encounter.
• Counsels patients on drug-drug interactions, adverse effects, food-drug interactions, product availability, and PNT Committee and pharmacy policies as appropriate.
• Manages recalls and medication shortage situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths or products per facility policy.
• Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per facility policy.
• Manages various actions, as appropriate, for medication orders to include: flagging prescriptions, managing view alerts, using the "hold" function, and generating unsigned discontinued orders using the "service reject" function.
• Extends refills until next scheduled appointment under the provider's name per facility policy.
• Responds to Code Blue emergencies in the inpatient setting.
• Directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes by direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
• Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care, including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications.

Dispensing

• Responsible for verification and evaluation of licensed independent practitioners' medication orders/prescriptions and input of written orders, when applicable.
• Selects, compounds, dispenses, and fills a range of drugs including extemporaneous preparations, special formulations, ophthalmics, narcotics, investigational drugs, oncolytic agents, etc in inpatient and/or outpatient areas and follows appropriate quality assurance procedures as applicable.
• Checks prescription orders for safety, accuracy, and appropriateness prior to dispensing.
• Verifies and fills all orders in a timely fashion.
• Inputs medication allergy data when information provided by patient/care giver/provider.
• Enters non-VA medication data when information provided by patient and/or caregiver.
• Ensures that drugs dispensed are completely and correctly labeled and packaged in full compliance with Federal rules and regulations.

Education and Training

• Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technician, pharmacy residents, pharmacy students, and other medical center personnel as required.
• Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.
• Is skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.
• May serve as a preceptor for pharmacy students and/or pharmacy residents.
• Has a good working knowledge of information resources such as Micromedex, Clinical Pharmacology, AHFS Drug Information, Facts & Comparisons, or other relevant pharmaceutical references, both written and electronic.
• Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management.
• Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers.

Administration

• Ensures that work of the team is carried out on tours when no supervisory pharmacist is present.
• Acts as point-of-contact with Patient Care Services for resolution of time-sensitive nursing/pharmacy issues.
• Contacts additional staff, pharmacist or technician, to report for duty in the event of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) activation, and emergency or other situations where additional staff is necessary to perform the work at hand.
• Supervises the activities of support personnel and communicates with supervisory staff regarding issues that arise during the time period when no supervisory pharmacist is on site.

Research

• Participation in research activities must be in accordance with FDA guidelines and regulations and VHA policy.
• Coordinates the receipt and distribution of all drugs in an investigational and/or clinical evaluation status and maintains appropriate records regarding their use as applicable.

Work Schedule : Intermittent - Various shifts available between 7:00am to 8:00pm Mon - Sunday

Compressed/Flexible :NA

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 91523A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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 as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• 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.
• Education: You must be a 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.
  • NOTE: 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).

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 :

Pharmacist, GS12

Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

• 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level,

OR

• 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

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

• Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
• Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic security.

Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Part 2, Appendix G15.

Grandfathering Provision: 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). All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (6/7/2012) 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.

Preferred Experience: None

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing at least 50 lbs., and bending/stooping.

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: 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:

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Help

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.

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

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.