Clinical Pharmacist Practioner, Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT)

Summary

This position is located in the Pharmacy Service at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center. This position provides clinical pharmacy support to outpatient PACTs of the Ambulatory Care Service.

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Duties

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Major Duties:

1. General Description of Assigned Duties

The PACT Clinical Pharmacy Practioner (CPP) functions as an Advance Practice Provider and member of their assigned PACT team(s) working with high level of autonomy and independent decision making under an individual scope of practice to directly care for patients.

2. Functions of Position

A. Clinical

i. Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice.

a. Performs comprehensive medication management including initiating, modifying, or discontinuing medication therapy.

b. Designs, implements, assesses, monitors, and documents evidence- based, guideline directed therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments.

c. Helps achieve positive patient-centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas.

d. Conducts physical assessments as needed to monitor the efficacy and safety of drug therapy.

e. Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patients drug therapy.

f. Orders consults Nutrition, Social work, Prosthetics as needed to maximize positive drug therapy outcomes.

g. Participates in huddles with assigned PACT teams and provides drug information, observations on patient response to therapy, and appropriate recommendations regarding treatment alternatives or additional interventions to maximize patient outcomes taking into consideration choice of therapy, safety. efficacy cost and formulary issues.

h. Alerts medical team when disease progression or adverse drug events occur that require treatment interventions.

ii. Clinical- Indirect Care Activities

a. Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings and provides alternatives to current treatment plans.

b. Serves as an expert on drug usage and uses appropriate references to research drug information.

c. Performs medication reconciliation upon admission, transfer and discharge, as needed, in collaboration with the transition of care clinical pharmacists and technicians and reports any discrepancies found.

d. Assess the educational needs of patients and caregivers and instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.

e. Monitors, reports and documents drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues.

f. Evaluates non formulary/prior authorization drug requests for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria.

g. Assists Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee with medication use evaluations and other safety initiatives.

h. Ensures compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.

i. Reviews and verifies medication orders for appropriateness and to reduce potential risk of adverse drug events.

j. Uses population management tools to identify patients that would benefit from targeted medication interventions.

B. Education and Research

i. Participates in self development activities to maintain professional competence.

ii. Employs written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.

iii. Serves as preceptor for pharmacy students, residents and actively participates in student/resident presentations, journal clubs and preceptor development activities, assists in the training of new staff members in assigned area.

v. Collaborates with other health care providers in the design and implementation of research protocols, activities, or projects to enhance the

quality of patient care.

C. Administrative

i. Documents clinical activities and workload in CPRS accurately, timely including completion of all consults and encounter froms.

ii. Serves on national, VISN, medical center/pharmacy committee as requested.

iii. Adheres to all medical center and department policies and regulations.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 0730-1600

Compressed/Flexible :No

Telework : Ad-hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 40215-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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 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

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 (1) 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.

(2) 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).

c. 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 :

(3) GS-13

(a) Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level

(b) Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

1. Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:

a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions

b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.

c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.

d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.

e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters

Preferred Experience: The preferred experience include PGY1 residency, PGY2 ambulatory care residency program and board certification.

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

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

Physical Requirements: The work may require sitting for long periods of time 4-8 hours with occasional stooping or kneeling, walking, and standing for long periods of time. The principle duties require repetitive use of hands and fingers (typing, writing). The incumbent must be physically capable of operating various types of equipment used for the (computer, telephone).

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 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.

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.

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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