The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) is a licensed professional with advanced knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice. The primary responsibility of the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through both direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers. NOTE: Recruitment/Relocation incentives of $10,000 with 2 year service agreement may be approved for highly qualified candidates.

Duties

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) serves as a mid-level provider with prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice.The Community Living Center (CLC) CPS functions at the highest level of clinical pharmacy practice to provide comprehensive medication management (CMM) in the community living center practice setting. CMM is a patient-centered approach to improving patient health outcomes through optimizing medication use delivered by a CPP working in collaboration with the patient and other healthcare providers. CMM includes, but is not limited to: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing best evidence, 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; evaluating a provider's orders as to appropriateness based on patient medication profiles; inputting information into the Electronic Health Record; verifying orders entered by healthcare providers as needed; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy. Duties may include but are not limited to: Utilizes a patient-centered approach to improve patient health outcomes through optimizing medication use in collaboration with the patient and other healthcare providers. Collaborates prospectively with providers to develop, implement, and maintain systems that promote desirable clinical outcomes of acute and chronic disease states through use of safe, evidence-based, and cost-effective drug therapies. Provides prospective consultation to physicians, nurses, and other health care providers on appropriate drug therapy. Actively participates in multidisciplinary team rounds. Assess and prioritizes the patients active medical conditions, taking into account clinical and patient goals of therapy. Assesses the indication, effectiveness, safety, and adherence of each mediation the patient is taking. Makes appropriate adjustments to medication therapy. Utilizes motivational interview skills with patient, family, caregiver and other healthcare professionals to collect patient-specific data, conduct medication history, and identify additional data needed for medication review assessment and medication reconciliation. Documents pharmaceutical care plan and interventions performed in electronic health record and/or facility specific programs. Orders, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy. Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to monitor, evaluate, and adjust medication therapy. Monitors serum levels for patients receiving drugs with narrow therapeutic indices and evaluates and adjusts medication therapy using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles. Ensures appropriate care coordination during transitions of care within the healthcare system (changes in levels of care, shift changes, etc.) as well as throughout the discharge process, as indicated. Ensures appropriate selection of medications, dosages, and administration, and provides recommendation on routes and dosages for alternatives medications if warranted. Identifies, reports, and monitors adverse drug events, allergies and patient compliance issues. Orders, performs, and interprets the physical measurements necessary to monitor, support and modify the patient's medication therapy. Maintains working knowledge of applicable medication criteria for use. Applies knowledge to direct appropriate medication therapy and adjudicate non-formulary and formulary with prior authorization medication requests. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm; weekends and/or holidays rotated on a fair and equitable basis based on service needs. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: PD51904F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for a highly qualified candidate subject to approval, available funding, and in accordance with agency policy. Permanent Change of Stations (PCS): Not Authorized 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: Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Licensed Pharmacists 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 for Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - GS-0660-13 (Above full performance): Experience: In addition to the Basic Requirements, Pharmacists assigned to the GS-13 grade must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12): Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher the level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): Pharmacist assigned to this position must demonstrate the following 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard. Selective Placement Factor: Applicants selected for this position MUST have at least one (1) year of experience in a geriatric extended care unit functioning as a clinical pharmacy practitioner under a scope of practice or a care coordination agreement. Preferred Experience: PGY1 and/or PGY2 residency experience in a geriatric setting, 3 or more years of clinical experience in a geriatric practice setting or geriatric board certification. 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 work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving stating or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking. Additionally, occasional lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies may be required, and bending, stooping or stretching.

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 Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1601 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, FL 32608 US
• Name: Diana Dieringer
• Phone: 727-967-6873
• Email: [email protected]