Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Anticoagulation/Cardiology)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Poplar Bluff (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) to function at the highest level of clinical practice, providing direct patient care and working independently under the medical center's scope. Applicants pending education or licensure may be referred but not hired until all requirements are met.

Required are ACPE-accredited pharmacy education (BS Pharmacy or Pharm.D.) and a full, current license to practice in the United States.

Qualifications

• Graduate of ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy with BS Pharmacy or Pharm.D.
• Foreign grads must show FPGEC certification including FPGEE and TOEFL iBT.
• Full, current license to practice pharmacy in US territory or DC.

Responsibilities

• Direct patient care at highest level of clinical practice.
• Work independently under defined scope of practice as determined by medical center.
• Reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness.
• Interacting with clinical staff to optimize medication therapy and ensure safety.
• Documenting recommendations and interventions, and participating in medication reconciliation.

Skills

Oral and written communication

Regulatory & quality standards

Problem solving & coordination

Specialized clinical pharmacy practice

Drug therapy monitoring & evaluation

Education

BS Pharmacy or Pharm.D.

ACPE-accredited college

Job description

This Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, working independently under their scope of practice, as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients.

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. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)

• 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.

GS-13 Grade Determinations

Experience

In addition to the basic requirements, you must possess one-year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Equivalent experience to the next lower grade level (GS-12) may include:

• 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.
• Reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems.
• Contacting providers as appropriate, documenting recommendations and interventions, providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies.
• Taking health and medication histories, performing medication reconciliation, providing drug information.
• Assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations.
• Documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs), assisting in medical emergencies, providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution.

AND

You must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's)

• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area
• Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience

Minimum clinical pharmacy experience of one year at GS-12 level or equivalent is required. Preferred experience includes at least one year of post-graduate residency with an ASHP-accredited program and/or advanced certification through a nationally-recognized pharmacy board (i.e., Board of Pharmacy Specialties). Additionally prefer experience in management (dosing, monitoring) of anticoagulants and/or cardiologic conditions including complex hypertension and heart failure.

References

VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist VA Qualification Standard

Physical Requirements

Physical movements involve completion of routine pharmacy functions which include but are not limited to significant computer work/typing, prescription order entry and processing, contact of patients (both face to face and via phone). Certain tasks are repetitive in nature and require multiple steps performed in succession for success. The incumbent should be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds without significant difficulty. Incumbent must be able to stand or sit in one place for considerable time during completion of complex tasks. Complexity of mental processes involved is extensive, demanding, and challenging. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.