Pharmacist (Clinical Specialist)

Pharmacy Clinical Duties

Functions or scopes of practice include:

Clinical:

• Assess and develop selection of evidence-based and therapeutically appropriate anticancer therapies based on Veteran diagnosis, performance status, organ function, disease staging and pertinent pharmacogenomic status.
• Develop and implement evidence based anticancer order set to standardize therapy approaches to ensure safety, efficacy, and completeness of anticancer treatment protocols. Assess, select, and initiate primary and secondary supportive care elements for inclusion in anticancer order sets based on anticancer protocol risk.
• Primary supportive care therapies for anticancer treatment include but are not limited to addition of growth factor support based on regimen risk of febrile neutropenia, infection prophylaxis, prevention and treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea/vomiting, diarrhea/constipation, anticipated skin toxicities, therapy induced electrolyte imbalances, risk of hypersensitivity reactions, drug interactions, thrombosis prevention, etc.
• Assess, monitor, and manage anticancer therapy adverse drug reactions or toxicities including but not limited to hypersensitivity reactions, refractory nausea/vomiting, therapy induced cytopenia's (including neutropenia and anemia), infection, QT prolongation, immune-mediated toxicities, organ dysfunction, diarrhea/constipation, dermatologic reactions, fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, and drug interactions.
• Initiate, monitor, modify and discontinue medications as part of management of clinical effectiveness and toxicity.
• Review primary literature resources and appropriate guidelines (e.g., NCCN, ASCO) when evaluating, recommending, or implementing anticancer therapy and supportive care.

Education:

• Maintains professional competency on drug therapies and innovations in pharmacy practice pertinent to the care provided in this health care system.
• Provides medication counseling to patients and/or caregivers. Evaluates the abilities of adult and geriatric patients to understand medication instructions (i.e., ability to learn, sensory limitations, past knowledge of condition, and obstacles to following treatment regimen) and provides oral and written counseling on their drug therapy.
• Assists in the development, coordination and provision of drug therapy in-service programs, staff development programs, patient education programs, and other system-wide drug information programs.

Administrative Support/Program Management:

• Performs proper recordkeeping and maintains proper documentation when required or appropriate for all clinical activity and patient interventions.
• Ensures sensitive data for patient files, both printed and electronic, remain confidential. Ensures ADP systems for pharmacy practice and patient care are utilized for official duties and remain secure.
• Provides professional guidance and leadership to their assigned work team(s) to deliver patient care services in accordance with established standards of practice (i.e., DEA, VHA, JCAHO, health care system, departmental policy & procedures, applicable state laws, etc.) and in support of established VHA and VISN 15 performance measures.
• Actively participates in various quality management and performance improvement activities such as drug utilization evaluations, drug class reviews, adverse drug reaction monitoring, new drug request reviews, prior approval/non-formulary drug reviews, ongoing drug monitors, and a variety of other activities associated with the provision of pharmaceutical care.
• Helps manage multiple complex medication management along with veterans' chemotherapy regimens (i.e., chronic anticoagulation, diabetes management, lipid management, hypertension management, pain management, formulary management, utilization review, etc.) that are applicable

Research:

• May participate in research studies under FDA guidelines that have undergone review and approval by the Research & Development Committee and the Investigational Review Board.

Supervisory Controls:

• The Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner reports to the Associate Chief, Clinical Pharmacy Services or Chief of Pharmacy. Delegated medical care functions are reviewed and supervised by the collaborating physician.
• The Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner has independent clinical and administrative responsibility for their practice, with general supervisory direction from the Associate Chief, Clinical Pharmacy Services and Chief of Pharmacy.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Work schedule subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Telework: Not Available

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