Job opening: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Hospice and Palliative Care)
Salary: $159 462 - 207 297 per year
Published at: Oct 26 2023
Employment Type: Full-time
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
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws
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.
Major Duties of GS13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Hospice and Palliative Care) include but not limited to:
Conducting comprehensive medical and medication histories from patients and/or their records
Evaluating drug therapy through direct patient care involvement with clinical assessment of subjective and objective findings relating to patient's response(s) to drug therapy
Developing, recommending , assessing, and monitoring therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical pharmacological treatment under scope of practice
Prescribing medications, including initiation, continuation, discontinuation, and adjusting therapy (based upon the established Formulary and published Criteria for Use or Treatment Guidelines) as approved within Scope of Practice
Initiating, modifying, renewing, refilling, or discontinuing medication therapy under scope of practice. The CPS will NOT write or renew any controlled substances.
Ordering labs and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy under scope of practice.
Documenting, reporting, and monitoring of medication errors, adverse drug events (ADEs), and medication allergies per policy.
Interacting directly with patients and/or caregivers, providing oral and written counseling on their medication therapy
Reconciling patients' medication orders
Documenting encounters and interventions in the patient electronic medical record
Performing consultative services
Assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews, prior authorization drug requests, and medication usage evaluations.
Participating in VAMHCS and VISN-level committees as assigned representing Pharmacy Service
Serving as preceptor to students of affiliated schools and Pharmacy Practice residents
Performing other duties as assigned
Work Schedule: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm *All shifts are determined or approved by management and based on service needs
Telework: Telework eligibility and work hours permissible to telework are under the discretion and determination of management at all times
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:000000
EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN5EDRPCOORDINATORS.GOV, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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.
Education: 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.)
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.
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:
GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist
Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
(b) 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.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
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.
Preferred Experience: Pharmacists with 2 years of clinical experience in or related to Pain Management and Hospice/ Palliative Care
OR
PGY1 Residency and PGY2 Pharmacy Residency in Pain Management and Palliative Care
References: June 7, 2012 VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13
Physical Requirements: Physical demands of the position require regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 40 pounds, pushing and pulling of large carts. The job may include significant time at a computer terminal.
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 VA Maryland Health Care System
10 North Greene Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
US
- Name: Lacreasha Blanding
- Phone: 410-605-7000
- Email: [email protected]
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