The Philadelphia VA Medical Center is recruiting for a Clinical Pharmacist - Inpatient. The Clinical Pharmacist is a licensed professional with knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice including pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics.

Duties

Duties and responsibilities included but are not limited to: Clinical: The pharmacist provides appropriate selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; monitoring for efficacy, side effects and clinical outcome; and advises prescribers as appropriate Provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations to other health care providers in charge of the patient both orally and in writing. Monitoring will include prospective review and intervention in: i. Therapeutic appropriateness of a patient's drug regimen ii. Therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen iii. Appropriateness of the route and method of administration iv. Degree of patient compliance with the prescribed drug regimen v. Drug-drug, drug-food, drug-laboratory, or drug disease interactions vi. Clinical and pharmacokinetic laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects vii. Physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy Provides medication counseling to patients and caregivers (when applicable) Completes medication histories including patient interviews Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers, other health care professionals, patients and caregivers Participates in patient care rounds, review charts, evaluates pertinent laboratory data, drug-drug and drug-nutrient interactions, monitors for adverse drug effects, and screens for allergies Dispensing Reviews all medication orders for appropriateness, drug selection, dosage, route of administration and the amount, prior to dispensing Ensures all medication orders are entered into the electronic patient medical record Fills all orders in a timely fashion; review of the patient's allergy history, drug-drug, drug-nutrient, drug-laboratory and drug-disease state interactions and assessment for clinical relevance should be performed and dealt with appropriately Reviews medication profiles and monitors for compliance or potential abuse; problems encountered shall be resolved Selects, compounds, dispenses and fills a range of drugs including extemporaneous preparations, special formulations, ophthalmics (subconjunctivals and intravitreal injections), controlled substances, oncolytic agents, etc., in both outpatient and inpatient areas Adequate quality assurance procedures shall be followed as applicable Maintains adequate drug stock, inspects drug storage areas, supervises prepacking and the operation of automated dispensing equipment Education Provides education to health care providers regarding medication use Maintains basic knowledge of pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics in the area of practice Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and nonprofessional staff members. Conducts on-the-job training and provides guidance through designated programs Keeps abreast of new developments in pharmacy practice and drug therapy by reading pharmacy and medical literature, and participating in continuing education programs VA Green Environment Management System (GEMS) The incumbent consistently follows Healthcare System environmental policies and procedures related to VA GEMS Program, and the recycling, safe use, and disposal or chemical products and high-risk medications The incumbent will understand and comply with federal, state, and local environmental laws and other requirements, preventing pollution, minimizing waste, conserving cultural and natural resources, and continually improving environmental programs Work Schedule: 12 hours shifts M-F 11:00am - 11:00pm, 10 hour shifts Saturday & Sunday 12:00pm - 10:00pm, 1 week on/1 week off. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

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. Language: Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Education: Applicants for a Pharmacist position within the VA must possess 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. Licensure: Individuals must hold a 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. 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-12 In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must be able to show completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program, OR 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Specialized Experience GS-12: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates 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 parameters. KSAs Must be Demonstrated in Your Resume References: VA Handbook 5005/55 Part II Appendix G15 Physical Requirements: Must be able to lift 50 pounds. Also, see VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 Corporal Michael J Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 3900 Woodland Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19104 US
• Name: William Simmons
• Phone: (717) 272-6621 X4024
• Email: [email protected]