Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Full Job Description

Serves as a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) in oncology at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.

The CPS is responsible for planning, developing and maintaining effective clinical pharmacy programs by implementing rational cost-effective drug therapy to improve patient outcomes.

The CPS will support safe and effective patient care through order review and verification, patient education and clinical practice.

All requirements must be met at the time of the announcement closing.

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: 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: (312) 664-3575, 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.

Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C.

§ 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist.

For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed.

NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C.

§ 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment.

This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.

Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment.

At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline.

Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment. Grandfathering Provision.

All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard 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.

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-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12.

The GS-12 requirements include: Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. 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.

AND Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following 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.

Creditable Experience: (1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices.

To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice.

Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board. (2) Residency and Fellowship Training.

Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for- year basis.

The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP).

A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional Standards Board refers to the Deputy Chief Consultant for Professional Practice for the determination).

(3) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level.

Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination.

(4) Part-time Experience. Part-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek.

For example, a pharmacist employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Preferred Experience: Highly desirable candidates will have recent experience in a current or previous job (including residency training) that includes direct patient care with at least 3 years of experience working in Hematology/Oncology setting with a scope of practice or equivalent; PGY2 specialty residency or equivalent experience in Hematology/Oncology; Board-Certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP) certification through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties.

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

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position.

Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The CPS serves as an advanced practice provider to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice.

The CPS promotes and manages drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge that is consistent with policies established at the national, VISN, and local levels.

The CPS is responsible for providing evidence-based pharmaceutical care service, helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interaction with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams.

Their indirect patient care activities include pharmacy benefits management, academic detailing, teaching/mentoring/precepting learners, supporting research, quality assurance, medication utilization review, and staff development.

The clinical pharmacy specialist 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.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: The individual scope of assigned duties will be dependent upon the CPS provider's education, training, and experience required to perform the functions of the position.

Functions could include inpatient and outpatient oncology practice. All scoped providers will participate in professional practice evaluations.

1) Clinical Functions (25-50%) Functions as an advanced practice provider with a scope of practice to provide comprehensive medication management (CMM) for identified VAMC facilities as outlined in VHA Handbook 1109.11, Clinical Pharmacy Services.

a) Core activities outlined within a scope of practice include: i) Executing therapeutic plans utilizing the safest and most cost-effective medication treatments ii) Performing objective assessments necessary to ensure the patient's appropriate clinical responses to therapy iii) Ordering, subsequent review, and action on appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor, support, and modify the patient's drug therapy.

2) Pharmacy Program Management (25-50%): The Oncology CPS will be involved in the independent professional practice of pharmacy in accordance with the guidelines set forth in pharmacy service policies and procedures, VA regulations, and state and federal laws governing the practice of pharmacy.

The CPS will work in conjunction with Clinical Pharmacists, Clinical Pharmacy Practitioners, other CPSs and other health care professionals to form an organized team approach to the delivery of pharmaceutical care.

Activities include: a) Completes order review and processing.

This includes verifying orders to be complete and appropriate for dose, route, frequency, etc.; screens orders for incompatibilities, drug interactions, contraindications and patient allergies.

b) Maintains work flow patterns that assure timely delivery of pharmacy services, ensures accurate and timely documentation of encounters and follow up orders.

May oversee technical and nonprofessional staff. c) Completes quality check of IV HD preparations and as applicable or when needed or instructed supports logistics of delivery of product to patient.

3) Education (1-10%): a) Assists in the training of pharmacy employees, pharmacy residents and Pharm.D.

students as assigned in coordination with the Associate Chief of Pharmacy for Quality and Education.

The incumbent develops appropriate rotations and learning opportunities for pharmacists, pharmacy residents and/or pharmacy students. Precepts trainees in advanced clinical pharmacy practice areas.

These learning experiences will be documented and evaluated appropriately and timely.

4) Research/Project Management (1-10%): a) Contributes to the quality assurance of the MVAHCS Clinical Pharmacy Service. b) Contributes to research as assigned by Clinical Pharmacy Managers.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 07:30am - 4:00pm Telework: If available, Ad-Hoc ONLY Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized