The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP), Primary Care Service - Transitions of Care (ToC), is expected to work closely with all members in the VA Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS) and will receive program direction and guidance from the team's leadership, i.e., Associate Chief of Pharmacy, Chief of Primary Care, and/or Medical Director. The VANCHCS operates thirteen community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) covering ten county areas.

Duties

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, working independently under their individual scope of practice to directly care for patients. The CPP functions as a member of the ToC Team and collaborates closely with the Veteran, the Veteran's family/caregiver(s), the ToC Registered Nurse (RN), and the ToC Social Worker (SW) to provide the most comprehensive approach to case management services. Serves as an advanced practice provider 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; ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy; and placing consults for additional care coordination as necessary. Duties of the position include, but are not limited to: Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice: Core functions include face-to-face and telephone encounters with referred patients for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice. Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy. Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPP scope of practice. Serves as liaison with Pharmacy Service, Outpatient Clinics in general, Mather inpatient staff, Community Living Center/Center for Rehabilitation and Extended Care (CLC/CREC), Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) and other related areas in order to improve communication, solve problems, and maintain continuity of care throughout VANCHCS. Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities: Identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive medication management through population management reports and during team huddles. Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings. Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies. Education and Research: Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and other staff on assigned teams. Serves as preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established policies. Assists in new employee orientation, competency assessments, and mentoring as required. Drug Information: Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information. Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management. Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers. Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. Is able to adjust communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations. Is able to accurately assess and document patient comprehension. Is able to refer patients to educational programs provided at the medical center by multidisciplinary teams. Program Management: Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested. Manages information security within areas of responsibility to assure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained, and that employee access to sensitive information is limited only to that which the employee requires to perform their duties. Takes action as necessary to report and address violations of information security.

Requirements

Qualifications

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 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. 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. 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. 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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 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: Candidates for the Transitions of Care Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) should have recent experience in a current or previous job (including residency training) that includes direct patient care and comprehensive medication management responsibilities in the Primary Care and/or Inpatient setting related to identifying and resolving issues surrounding the Transition of Care between the inpatient and outpatient setting. Preferred candidates will have experience working successfully in an interdisciplinary team model. Preferred candidates will have an advanced pharmacy degree (Pharm.D), board certification (BPS), PGY1 and/or PGY2 Pharmacy Practice Residency, or equivalent experience or mentorship. Preference will also be given to those who have experience delivering care to the target patient population. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: The position requires visual and auditory acuity at a level to provide safe and effective care. Use and function of all normal motor and sensory anatomy for provision of patient care, reading, writing, listening, observing/seeing, heavy lifting, bending, pulling, pushing, stooping, squatting, walking, standing, use of fine motor muscles. In an eight-hour day, must be able to sit for 3 hours, stand for 3 hours, and walk for 1 hour. The position also requires ability to work on computers for extended periods of time. Requires use of hands for actions such as typing, simple grasping, fine manipulation, and repetitive actions. Requires the ability to frequently respond to multiple demands and priorities; emotional intelligence to respond to stressful and/or emergent situations and crises appropriately and calmly; self-care skills to maintain physical, psychological, and emotional health. Heavy lifting of 35 pounds and over, heavy carrying of 35 pounds and over, straight pulling, pushing, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking, standing, kneeling, repeated bending, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Has potential for exposure to infectious diseases, hazardous waste and chemicals.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Northern California Health Care System 10535 Hospital Way Mather, CA 95655 US
• Name: Lizbeth Torres
• Phone: (415) 221-4810 X24760
• Email: [email protected]