This position is located within the Mental Health Service at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville, NC. The Pharmacist is responsible for managing and coordinating the pharmacy components of medication safety, performance improvement and regulatory compliance for the inpatient psychiatry unit.

Duties

The Pharmacist (Clinical Specialist) functions at a high level of clinical practice. This clinical pharmacy practitioner plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a consultant who recommends the initiation, modification, or discontinuation of medication therapy, with an emphasis on medications used the management of psychiatric conditions. Extensive documentation and clinical progress note writing are required of this position. S/he may be involved in research activities and precepting of pharmacy trainees. Duties include, but not limited to: CLINICAL FUNCTIONS: Coordinates all medication-related activities for patients admitted to inpatient psychiatry units of the medical center, helping to achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams. Attends and participates in inpatient rounds, team meetings, conferences, and other meetings as required for the purpose of designing, assessing, implementing, monitoring, and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic, and most economical medication treatment. Designs psychotropic medication regimens based on current pharmacokinetics principles, specific patient parameters, and established therapeutic endpoints. Provides alternative therapeutic regimens in cases where the initially developed regimen fails to achieve the desire therapeutic result. Functions independently in day-to-day clinical and administrative duties associated with the position, consulting with higher level supervisors only when required. In general, uses a high degree of appropriate professional judgment to solve complex problems which routinely arise throughout the workday. When required, communicates any problems to the medical staff and/or other health care professionals, and offers alternatives or solutions to the problems. Evaluates the need for and provides verbal and written medication information to patients or families concerning their medications and disease states. Participates in other clinical pharmacy activities as assigned by supervisor. EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Demonstrates knowledge of the standards related to hospital, behavioral health care, and ambulatory care drug use. This includes, but is not limited to, the standards established by DEA, FDA, VA, the state, and The Joint Commission. Serves as a clinical pharmacy preceptor for Doctor of Pharmacy students from the appropriate affiliated Schools/Colleges of Pharmacy. Serves as a preceptor for PharmD residents and maintains a sustained record of contribution and commitment to pharmacy, as defined by ASHP. Participates in other educations responsibilities as assigned by supervisor. ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS: Gathers data for administrative reports when assigned. Upon request, independently prepares reports or participates in pharmacy projects. Assists in preparing for special accreditations and reviews (e.g., The Joint Commission, Inspector General, etc.) and meets with reviewing/inspecting officials and pharmacy management. Performs at least one hospital committee assignment per year or attends professional meeting and presents a report to the facility's professional staff and documents committee contribution or impact of meeting. Informs clinical coordinator of changes in nature of assigned duties which could affect clinical activities. RESEARCH: Demonstrates knowledge of the design, conduct, and interpretation of controlled clinical drug trials or other research related to psychiatry as applicable. Participates in developing criteria for drug utilization evaluations, data collection, trending reports, and other quality assurance activities as required to ensure appropriate and safe drug utilization. In cooperation with clinical section staff and other health professionals, collects and analyzes data related to ongoing clinical programs and presents it either at national meetings or publishes it in professionally representative publications. Recognizes and prepares case studies suitable for presentation and publication. Serves as preceptor of residents' research projects as assigned. TECHNICAL SKILLS: Understand and interpret clinical and technical issues brought to the attention of the individual Independently utilize an electronic healthcare record including but not limited do recording encounter documentation, entering medication or lab orders, and updating medication lists/allergies Compound or prepare pharmaceutical products per facility guidance Perform other technical skills as assigned by supervisor. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30AM-4:00PM Telework: Ad-hoc; at discretion of Supervisor Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

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). 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). Education Requirement: You must be 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. 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). Licensure: You are required to have 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. 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. Grade Requirement: Minimum Qualifications for GS-13 (Above Performance Level): In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also have: Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Assignments: Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the Pharmacist assigned to this position must demonstrate all of the following 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: Management and coordination of the pharmacy components of medication safety, performance improvement and regulatory compliance for the inpatient psychiatry unit. Supervision of pharmacy trainees and residents assigned to participate in the program. References: VA Handbook 5005/5, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: 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 Charles George VA Medical Center 1100 Tunnel Road Asheville, NC 28805 US
• Name: Christina Trull
• Phone: 828-318-6521
• Email: [email protected]