Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - EDRP Authorized

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Amarillo (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (GS-13) to deliver high-level pharmacotherapy services, oversee therapeutic plans, and support patient-centered care within a VA setting in Amarillo, TX. The CPS will collaborate with physicians and nurses, monitor outcomes, and contribute to medication safety strategies.

Required ACPE-accredited pharmacy education, an active license, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Education: ACPE accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a BS Pharmacy and/or a PharmD.
• Licensure: full, current, unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a U.S. state or territory.

Responsibilities

• Apply clinical pharmacy expertise to manage medication therapy and therapeutic plans.
• Provide direct and indirect patient care in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams.
• Monitor outcomes, order or review labs and tests to optimize therapy.
• Serve as a resource for medication information and formulary management.

Skills

Communication skills

Regulatory knowledge

Problem solving

Clinical pharmacotherapy

Education

PharmD or BS Pharmacy

Job description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. 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. HPTs who are on track to graduate/complete the requirements should respond as if they have met the requirements. Provide details in the narrative sections of the assessment.

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: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• 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.
• Foreign Education: 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.

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

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, GS-13

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

For Reference experience at the GS-12 grade level

Assignment. 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; 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.

GS-13 CPS Demonstrated KSAs

• 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

• Completion of a pharmacy residency.
• Board certification.
• Two Years Experience working in a VA Hospital.
• ACLS Certification.
• Experience with Antimicrobial stewardship programs.
• Experience with Adult Medicine and / or Critical Care

Reference can be found at the VA Qualification Repository, VA Qualifications Standards - Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) GS-0660, Pharmacist Qualification Standard, dated June 7, 2012.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements

moderate lifting (15 - 45 pounds), heavy carrying (over 45 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, walking (greater than 2 hours), standing (greater than 8 hours), near vision correctable to 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid may be permitted), emotional/mental stability, prolonged seated position, and typing and computer use.