Clinical Pharmacist (Intermittent)

FUNCTIONS include but ar not limited to:
Clinical

• Provides timely responses to drug information requests from patient care providers and nurses.
• Evaluates other care providers orders for appropriateness of therapy incompatibilities side effects and interactions of drugs and drug products.
• Utilizes patient care information systems such as EHMR to obtain critical patient data elements and to document pertinent patient care issues.
• Provides medication use counseling at time of patient encounter.
• Counsels patients on drug-drug interactions adverse effects food-drug interactions product availability and PNT Committee and pharmacy policies as appropriate.
• Manages recalls and medication shortage situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths or products per facility policy.
• Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per facility policy.
• Manages various actions as appropriate for medication orders to include: flagging prescriptions managing view alerts using the hold function and generating unsigned discontinued orders using the service reject function.
• Extends refills until next scheduled appointment under the providers name per facility policy.
• Responds to Code Blue emergencies in the inpatient setting.
• Directly involved in the design implementation and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes by direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
• Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate active list of VA and non-VA medications.

Dispensing

• Responsible for verification and evaluation of licensed independent practitioners medication orders/prescriptions and input of written orders when applicable.
• Selects compounds dispenses and fills a range of drugs including extemporaneous preparations special formulations ophthalmics narcotics investigational drugs oncolytic agents etc in inpatient and/or outpatient areas and follows appropriate quality assurance procedures as applicable.
• Checks prescription orders for safety accuracy and appropriateness prior to dispensing.
• Verifies and fills all orders in a timely fashion.
• Inputs medication allergy data when information provided by patient/care giver/provider.
• Enters non-VA medication data when information provided by patient and/or caregiver.
• Ensures that drugs dispensed are completely and correctly labeled and packaged in full compliance with Federal rules and regulations.

Education and Training

• Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists pharmacy technician pharmacy residents pharmacy students and other medical center personnel as required.
• Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.
• Is skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.
• May serve as a preceptor for pharmacy students and/or pharmacy residents.
• Has a good working knowledge of information resources such as Micromedex Clinical Pharmacology AHFS Drug Information Facts & Comparisons or other relevant pharmaceutical references both written and electronic.
• Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management.
• Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers.

Administration

• Ensures that work of the team is carried out on tours when no supervisory pharmacist is present.
• Acts as point-of-contact with Patient Care Services for resolution of time-sensitive nursing/pharmacy issues.
• Contacts additional staff pharmacist or technician to report for duty in the event of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) activation and emergency or other situations where additional staff is necessary to perform the work at hand.
• Supervises the activities of support personnel and communicates with supervisory staff regarding issues that arise during the time period when no supervisory pharmacist is on site.

Research

• Participation in research activities must be in accordance with FDA guidelines and regulations and VHA policy.
• Coordinates the receipt and distribution of all drugs in an investigational and/or clinical evaluation status and maintains appropriate records regarding their use as applicable.

Work Schedule: Intermittent - Various shifts available between 7:00am to 8:00pm Mon - Sunday
Compressed/Flexible:NA
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 91523A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 drivers 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 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.

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).
• 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.
• Education: You must be a 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.
  • NOTE: 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).

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:

Pharmacist GS12
Experience or addition to the basic requirements candidates must meet one of the following:

• 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level

OR

• 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following 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 security.

Reference: VA Handbook 5005 Part 2 Appendix G15.

Grandfathering Provision: 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). All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard (6/7/2012) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title series and grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

Preferred Experience: None

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion involving standing for prolonged periods of time lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing at least 50 lbs. and bending/stooping.