Clinical Inpatient Pharmacist The incumbent functions as a Clinical Inpatient Pharmacist primarily in the Inpatient Section of the Pharmacy Service at the VA Central Iowa Health Care System (VHACIHS). The position reports to the Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor, Pharmacy Service.

Duties

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Duties include, but are not limited to: The primary function of a clinical pharmacist is to assure the safe and appropriate use of medications and be an advocate of rational drug therapy through the following list of examples and activities: Provides appropriate selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; monitoring for efficacy, side effects and clinical outcome, and advises prescribers as appropriate. Provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations to other health care providers in charge of the patient both orally and in writing. Monitoring will include prospective review and intervention in: i. Therapeutic appropriateness of a patient's drug regimen ii. Therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen iii. Appropriateness of the route and method of administration iv. Degree of patient compliance with the prescribed drug regimen v. Drug-drug, drug-nutrient, drug-laboratory, or drug-disease interactions vi. Allergies vii. Clinical and pharmacokinetic laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects viii. Physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy, safety, and efficacy. Provides medication counseling to patients. Medication counseling may include, depending on tour: i. Bedside discharge counseling ii. Follow-up phone call discharge counseling iii. Counseling patients at the Pharmacy pick-up window Conducts comprehensive assessments of patient's health status by completing medication histories, including patient interviews. Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers, other health care professionals, patients and caregivers. Participates in patient care rounds and reviews patient electronic health records. Completes medication reconciliation including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non VA medications. This may include adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient is not taking. Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses, and medication errors. Documents findings according to service/facility policies and procedures. Participates in the medical center medication utilization evaluation (MUE) program. Completes non-formulary and medication approval consults in the acute care setting. Recommends formulary alternatives when appropriate. Reviews orders for compliance with VA Criteria for Use and non-formulary drug restrictions. Implements VA medical facility policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions (e.g., Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee activities). Manages recalls and medication shortage situations by recommending alternative dosage strengths and instructions to provide appropriate substitutions for the patient. Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per facility policy. Manages various actions, as appropriate, for medication orders to include: flagging prescriptions, managing view alerts, using the "hold medication" function, and generating unsigned discontinued orders using Service Reject. Extends refills until next scheduled appointment under the provider's name per facility policy. Completes patient electronic health record documentation with encounter information for inclusion in Pharmacy Service workload credit for all clinical assessments, interventions, recommendations and monitoring. Participates in facility and service line emergency preparedness activities. Work Schedule: Full Time: Revolving Evening Shift (0830-1900 & 1130-2200), rotating weekends, holidays, overnight shift Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 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. 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. NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy. OR 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. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Grade Determinations: GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist 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. AND Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): 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. Preferred Experience: 2 or more years (or equivalent) inpatient hospital pharmacist experience including preparation of hazardous and non-hazardous medication compounded sterile products in an IV room setting under USP 797/800 guidelines, preparation of hazardous and non-hazardous medication compounded non-sterile products under USP 795 guidelines and independent clinical medication management practice. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55, PART II, APPENDIX G15 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. 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. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (3) If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application.

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 Central Iowa Health Care System 3600 30th St Des Moines, IA 50310 US
• Name: Adam Abbott
• Phone: 612-629-7067
• Email: [email protected]