This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Duties

FUNCTIONS: Finishing and Dispensing: Reviews all medication orders for appropriateness, drug selection, dosage, route of administration and the amount, prior to dispensing. Enters and process Choice and Fee basis prescriptions timely, accurately, and completely. Finishes prescriptions while screening all patient profiles for therapeutic duplication, formulary compliance, allergies, drug-drug, and drug disease and drug-food interactions in addition to other tasks assigned daily. Oversees and checks the completed work of technical and non-professional personnel and provides guidance when needed. Ensures drugs dispensed are completely and correctly labeled and packaged in full compliance with Federal rules and regulations. Provides medication counseling to patients, or patient's representatives. Implements the unit dose medication management systems in the medical center and CLC as required for after hours and weekends. May rotate as needed to the IV section and assumes all duties of that position as required, including the compounding of chemotherapy and hyper alimentation. Maintains a working knowledge of inpatient and applicable outpatient pharmacy automation programs Clinical: Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers, other health care professionals, patients and caregivers. Reviews medication profiles and monitors for compliance or potential abuse; pursues mediation and resolution when problems are identified. Reports adverse drug events, near misses, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program and pharmacy reporting functions. Executes resource stewardship through application of formulary alternative guidance, non-formulary consult review and completion, and restricted medication review and guidance for use. Manages recalls and medication shortage situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths and instructions of the same medication to equal the prescribed dose and schedule, as approved by the PT&N Committee and ECMS. Competent in accessing patient information, documenting interventions and overall knowledge of CPRS. Administrative: Maintains a working knowledge of pharmacy cost control initiatives and actively participates in identified measures to accomplish pharmacy goals. Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care in coordination with the healthcare provider in charge of the patient, in accordance with VA medical facility policy. Attends and participates in pharmacy staff meetings, huddles, and other designated meeting - reviews all meeting minutes. Implements PT&N Committee policies regarding therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions, including appropriate patient and provider education. Participates in development, implementation and management of programs which help optimize drug costs. Maintains an understanding of VHA policies and procedures relating to pharmacy controlled substances and medication inventory accountability. Maintains an understanding of applicable institution Numbered memorandums. Maintains an understanding of all applicable department policies and procedures. Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and nonprofessional staff. Takes an active role in formulary management, including non-formulary entry into CPRS, conversions and initiating contact with providers to ensure compliance with the formulary. Professional: Keeps technically current in pharmacy and medicine by self-instruction and routine attendance at conferences and seminars to insure that the professional obligations of this service are met. Assists in total quality improvement activities by participating in medical center and service process assessment and action teams and continually seeks to improve services. Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution. Identifies basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class, non-formulary, restricted and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention. As deemed necessary by the Pharmacy Supervisor, assists in other patient care areas to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. The pharmacist is responsible for maintaining his/her professional competency by keeping abreast of current medical and pharmaceutical literature, new drugs and therapies, and applies this knowledge in his/her daily duties. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 0800-1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Please contact the VISN 20 EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected] Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.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 (1) 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.) (2) 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 (1) 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-11 Pharmacist (a) Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement in subparagraph 2c(1) above.) (b) Assignment. Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity. GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1. 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): 1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. 2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. 3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. 4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Assignment. A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations. These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light Lifting; light carrying; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking; standing; repeated bending; hearing (aid permitted)

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 Jonathan M Wainwright Memorial VA Medical Center 77 Wainwright Drive Walla Walla, WA 99362 US
• Name: Melissa Quilter
• Phone: 360-696-4061 X38599
• Email: [email protected]