Pharmacist (Clinical Specialist) Acute Care

Full Job Description

The Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner (CPP) for Acute Care is responsible for pharmacy activities and consultation in areas such as Medicine, Transitions of Care, Nutrition, Surgery, Critical Care, Geriatrics, Cardiology, Neurology, Mental Health, Emergency Room, Palliative Care and other acute care areas.

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: (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 Tect (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.

English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

In addition to the basic requirements listed above, the below qualification requirements must be met. Grade Determinations: GS-13 Pharmacist (Clinical Specialist) Acute Care Experience.

Must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level that includes: (Must be documented on your resume).

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.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following Full Performance KSAs: a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.

b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. c.

Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. d.

Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. e.

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: Applicants must be able to perform the following duties: light lifting; Walking or standing for up to 8-hours; Must possess visual acuity to read typed print; Keen hearing (aids permitted).The loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated by satisfactory use of prosthesis.

Major Duties:

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The incumbent's responsibility is to work with the Interdisciplinary Teams(s) to assist in medication reconciliation, comprehensive medication management, therapeutic monitoring, lab ordering and patient education.

Also may be assigned clinical and operational pharmacy cross-coverage duties as needed to meet the needs of the medical center, while assisting in other patient care areas as deemed necessary to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services.

Duties include and are not limited to: Clinical Pharmacy Care Activities: Participate in multidisciplinary team rounds with the healthcare team(s).

Appropriately render care to acute care patients, including, but not limited to, prescribing medications, to include initiation, continuation, discontinuation, and altering therapy, based upon established facility policies and protocols under the Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner's Scope of Practice; physical assessment; monitoring medication regimens; ordering and analyzing necessary laboratory tests; adjusting medication; and assisting in the management of medical emergencies, adverse drug reactions, and acute care and chronic disease states.

Assist in preparing patients for discharge by evaluating the patient's medication, ordering necessary medications and providing education to the patient and/or caregiver.

Evaluate patients for discharge by evaluating the patients medication, ordering necessary medications and providing education to the patient and/or caregiver.

Patient Care-Operational Support Review and verify medication orders which includes correct and complete patient information, correct medication, dose, route, and frequency of administration in compliance with medical center medication use policies.

Orders are checked for patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and priority.

Identify, interpret, and resolve prescribing and dispensing issues including pharmacotherapeutic and formulary issues, and document interventions as necessary.

Assist medical and nursing staff with medication reconciliation and smooth transitions of medication across the continuum of care.

Supervise and direct pharmacy staff to achieve dispensing goals of the service. Education Participate in self-development activities to maintain and increase professional competence.

Serve as resource for advanced drug information support and expertise in medication to other pharmacists and staff. Supervise and train pharmacy residents and students in acute care.

Evaluate residents and students based on performance, presentations and examinations.

Administrative/Technical Support/Supervision Effectively communicate all appropriate information and significant events through proper channels, when appropriate.

Correctly interprets and adheres to all hospital and Pharmacy Service policies and procedures.

Accurately completes all assignments in a timely manner as defined by the Chief, Pharmacy Service or designee.

Serves as subject matter expert (SME) on committees and workgroups as assigned (local/VISN/National).

Quality Assurance Assists the Chief of Pharmacy, Associate Chiefs, and pharmacy supervisors in developing and updating policies and procedures.

Actively assures that policy and procedures of the pharmacy service and medical center are followed as well as regulatory requirements of TJC, USP, and VHA.

Work Schedule: To be Determined by Service Chief Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 60952-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact VHAEDRPProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.

Learn more 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.