Facility Program Manager - Controlled Substances

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Saginaw (MI); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a pharmacist to manage the controlled substances program within the Pharmacy Operations group. The role includes education and training for trainees and staff on vault operations and controlled substance handling.

Basic requirements include U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, and a valid state license to practice pharmacy. Experience or ACPE PharmD/BS Pharm degree should align with GS-12/13 expectations.

Qualifications

• U.S. citizenship and English proficiency are required.
• Pharmacy degree (PharmD or BS Pharm) from ACPE-accredited program.
• Full, current pharmacist license in the United States.
• Experience or education aligned with GS-12/13 federal pharmacist standards.

Responsibilities

• Review, interpret, and verify medication orders for appropriateness.
• Process and fill medication orders accurately and efficiently.
• Provide and coordinate education for trainees on controlled substances and vault operations.
• Offer medication reconciliation and ADE monitoring; communicate recommendations to providers.
• Oversee technical staff in distribution and participate in formulary management.

Skills

Communication skills

Regulatory knowledge

Problem solving

Pharmacy expertise

Drug therapy monitoring

Education

ACPE-accredited pharmacy degree (BS/PharmD)

FPGEC Certification for foreign grads

Job description

The controlled substance program manager is a licensed pharmacist who works independently under the Associate Chief, Pharmacy Operations or designee, and is responsible for providing and coordinating optimal pharmaceutical care activities in the controlled substance programs. The incumbent provides education and training of all trainees and employees specific to controlled substance and vault operations. 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• 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: [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.)
  2. Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the 2 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.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

Experience or Education.

• 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or
• Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

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

• Experience. In addition to the basic requirements and GS-12 requirements listed above, candidates must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. This may include, but is 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.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the KSAs identified:

• 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.

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-13.

Physical Requirements:

Must be able to distinguish basic colors with the ability to distinguish shades of color. This position may require heavy lifting and carrying, 45 pounds or more, routine standing, bending, stooping, or squatting. It may also require pushing, walking, standing, reaching over shoulder, use of fingers, walking and standing up to four hours per tour. Near vision correctable at 13' to 16', far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, hearing (aid permitted). The work environment is primarily inside a pharmacy or other office space as designated. There may be extremes of temperature, distractions, noise from equipment or patient care activities. The need to handle frozen or refrigerated products may occur. Exposure to negative and positive air pressure rooms is possible. Repeated twisting, shaking, and grasping of bottles, and vials or syringes may be required. Must be able to don and work with protective garments and equipment as necessary. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.