Clinical Pharmacist - Outpatient

US Department of Veterans Affairs; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs in Albuquerque, NM seeks a Pharmacist to perform medication order review, interpretation, and verification in accordance with VISN and national policies. You will collaborate with clinical staff to optimize therapy for safe, effective patient care.

Applicants must meet ACPE education standards, licensure in a U.S. state, and English proficiency; Veterans Affairs supports professional development and standard pharmacovigilance practices.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to patients and health care staff.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to distribution and control of drugs and pharmacy security.
• Skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapies and interpreting lab parameters.

Responsibilities

• Reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness.
• Processing and filling medication orders.
• Interacting with clinical staff to optimize medication therapy for safe and effective care.

Skills

Professional pharmacy practice

Oral and written communication

Pharmacy laws and accreditation

Drug therapy monitoring

Education

BS Pharmacy / Pharm.D.

Job description

A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations. These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care

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. 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: [phone], or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (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.
• 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

GS-11 Pharmacist - Experience, Education, and Licensure.

None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist

Education and Experience.

(a) 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11), or (b) completion of an ACPE-accredited PharmD. Program.

Demonstrated 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 parameters.

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements:

The required work places no special demands on the employee. The work includes some walking, standing, bending, and some moderate lifting up to 44 pounds. Most of the work is performed while seated.