The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) serves as a mid-level provider who will initiate, modify, or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services specializing in drug monitoring and pain management therapy in high risk patients treated with opioids for chronic pain.

Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and will remain on file through December 31, 2023. Eligible applicants will be referred each month as vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Major Duties: Core functions include face-to-face and telephone encounters with referred patients, for pain medication management. Serves as a CPP within CARA Clinic to provide medication therapy management services and patient/caregiver education. The CPP, functioning as a mid-level provider, will initiate, modify, and/or discontinue a patient's medication therapy to maximize patient response and minimize drug interactions, adverse drug effects, and polypharmacy while providing cost-effective treatment. The CPP will coordinate appropriate triage for patient related issues outside their scope of practice and will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs or adverse drug events require treatment interventions. Provides expert advice to VA providers in CARA Clinic regarding the appropriate VA National Formulary medications to consider for patients that are choosing to transfer their care to VA. Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, least toxic and most economical medication treatments, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed. Creates Pain Care Agreements ("Consent for Long-Term Opioids for Pain"). This includes reviewing the document with the patient, signing the document and abiding by its terms along with the patient's provider, and documenting the Pain Care Agreement in the electronic medical record. Evaluates prescriber's medication orders for appropriateness, renal/hepatic dosing, drug interactions, possible allergies/adverse reactions, duplications in therapy, and verifies/finishes pending inpatient orders. Work Schedule: Full Time; 8:00-4:30PM Telework: Available - Ad Hoc Virtual: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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). 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. 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-13 Grade Qualifications: Must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, or competition of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. And meet 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. AND Must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12) and meet the following Knowledge, skills, and abilities (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: PGY2 in pain management or experience in pain management. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15 LICENSED PHARMACIST QUALIFICATION STANDARD GS-660 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting 15-44 pounds; pushing; reaching over shoulder; walking 2 hours; standing 8 hours; simple grasping 4 hours; sitting 8 hours; fine manipulation 8 hours. 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 Raymond G Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast Albuquerque, NM 87108 US
• Name: Sandra Placencia
• Phone: 916-843-9225
• Email: [email protected]