Clinical Pharmacist

Summary

The Clinical Pharmacist will assure the safe and appropriate use of medications in outpatient and inpatient pharmacy and be an advocate of rational drug therapy through evaluation of the appropriateness of drug therapy based on patient specific factors. The Clinical Pharmacist will interpret and verify medication orders written by providers, dispense appropriate medications, providing medication guidance to providers and nurses, and counsel patients on medication administration and storage.

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Duties

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Pharmacy Operations:

• Responsible for ensuring ongoing compliance with medication management standards set forth by The Joint Commission and Office of Inspector General.
• Evaluates orders written by providers and determines appropriateness and accuracy based on patient medication profiles; inputs information into a computer system; dispenses medication in accordance with dosage form and record keeping requirements for outpatient prescriptions, inpatient unit dose medications, intravenous admixtures, parenteral nutrition, irrigation solutions, chemotherapy agents, investigational study drugs, controlled substances, and compounded prescriptions.
• Performs sterile and non-sterile compounding.
• Enters and/or completes prior authorization drug reviews (PADRs) for nonformulary (NF) or prior authorization - Facility (PAF) medications. Recommends formulary alternatives when possible.
• Maintains accurate working knowledge of community care and self-directed care prescription processing procedures. Is able to review prescriptions received from community providers, appropriately document in electronic health care record, and process authorized prescriptions or forward non-authorized prescriptions to appropriate health care provider.
• Assists in continuous reporting and improvement of medication errors and adverse drug reactions.
• Serves as drug information resource by providing oral and written consultation to providers, nurses, and other health care professionals on basic information regarding drug therapy.
• Evaluates patients ability to understand instructions and provides written and oral counseling on their drug therapy.
• Identifies and resolves pharmacotherapy problems related to patient care. May involve but are not limited to any of the following dispensing activities:
  • Completing medication histories including patient interviews.
  • Medication reconciliation including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications including adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient reports is no longer taking.
  • Extending refills until next scheduled appointment under the provider's name and following policy guidelines.
  • Flagging prescriptions for provider clarification.
  • Monitoring drug therapy, allergies, labs and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems.
  • Assessing drug safety and efficacy including evaluation of physical symptoms.
  • Providing pharmacokinetic consultation including vancomycin and aminoglycosides under provider name in accordance with local policy.
  • Managing recalls and medication shortage situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths and instructions of the same medication to equal the prescribed dose and schedule.
  • Implementing P & T Committee policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions to include appropriate patient or provider education.
  • Recommending formulary alternatives and completing basic non-formulary consults and medication usage evaluations.
  • Processes discharge medication orders and provides discharge medication counseling according to local procedures.

Research and Education:

• Participates in pharmacy studies and research projects.
• Utilizes information from research studies.
• Acts as clinical preceptor or trainer for professional and technical level pharmacy students and residents.
• Keeps abreast of advances in pharmacotherapy and pharmacy practice and integrates these into practice.
• Assists in planning and evaluating education programs in pharmacy services.

Administrative/Supervisory:

• Supervises the work of technical staff when the pharmacist is working in an independent duty situation.
• Serves as pharmacist in-charge when applicable.
• Completes 72-hour controlled substance inventory for both inpatient and outpatient.
• Assists with monthly unannounced control substance inspections as needed. Assures accuracy of controlled substance shipments and documents receipt of those shipments.

Work Schedule : 1400-2230 Monday-Friday, Rotating Holidays, limited coverage of PM shift

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 00000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
• 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 dentification 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 appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, 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: View phone number on click.appcast.io, or through their Web site at: ( 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.
  • 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.

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).

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.

Grade Determinations :

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

• Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:
  1. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level,
  2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):
  1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
  2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
  3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
  4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

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

Pharmacist Qualification Standard

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

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.

The VA Midwest Health Care Network 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.

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.

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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.

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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.