The clinical pharmacist supports Primary Care, Acute Care, Long Term Care services, Specialty Care services, Care in the Community, and Mental Health at the VA Illiana Health Care System in Peoria, IL. The clinical pharmacist ensures safe and appropriate use of medications and is an advocate of rational drug therapy through evaluation of the appropriateness of drug therapy based on patient specific factors, individualization of drug therapy, providing medications and drug information.

Duties

The Clinical Pharmacist 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. Duties include: Assignments involve a wide range of pharmacy services including those of a complex and highly specialized nature including the proper verification, labeling, and dispensing of outpatient medications. Renders professional advice to physicians, consultants, and nursing personnel regarding medication dosing and dosage forms, routes of administration, frequency of administration, storage, and preparation. Communicates effectively with providers and nurses as well as other pharmacists, technicians, and clerical staff. Serves as consultant on pharmaceutical matters in all aspects of the operation of pharmacy at this medical center. Protects sensitive information from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion, following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., Performs Performance Improvement activities, including participation in meetings and educational programs, collecting, and reporting data. Independently identifies problems and offers solution proposals when assigned specific team leader functions. Provides on-the-job training to new employees, pharmacy students, and volunteers. Ensures pharmacy service follows federal laws, national and VISN guidance, local policies and any standards established by regulatory bodies (i.e., Joint Commission). Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers, other health care professionals, patients, and caregivers. Provides guidance and functions as a role model to less skilled personnel in attaining increased proficiency. . Performs work as assigned and assists other positions as volume and workflow dictates in other work areas to ensure that the work of the pharmacy is completed daily. Participates in development of educational programs and provides in-services beneficial to pharmacy and its staff. Work Schedule: 0745-1615 Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized

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: 1. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) 2. 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). 3. 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 mustmaintain 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. 4. Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. 5. Physical Requirements. Considerable periods of sitting, standing, walking, reaching, and pushing or pulling of carts are inherent in the position. Bending, stooping, and lifting of supplies is necessary, mostly under 50 pounds. 6. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 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: 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 (GS-11), 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. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005, PART II, APPENDIX G15 This vacancy is at the full performance level (GS-12). Physical Requirements: Considerable periods of sitting, standing, walking, reaching, and pushing or pulling of carts are inherent in the position. Bending, stooping, and lifting of supplies is necessary, mostly under 50 pounds.

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 Danville VA Medical Center 1900 East Main Street Danville, IL 61832 US
• Name: Peter Dubravec
• Phone: 708-793-0506
• Email: [email protected]