Serves as a staff pharmacist for the VA Alaska Health Care System providing pharmaceutical services to Veterans throughout Alaska. The staff pharmacist is involved in the procurement, storage, admixing, distribution, control, and evaluation of drugs. He/she also serves as instructor to Allied Health Professionals and pharmacy students. The incumbent is involved in the mail-out and distribution of pharmaceuticals to Veteran patients through the Fee Basis and Home Town Pharmacy programs.

Duties

Duties: Consults with patients and medical center staff when ever there are questions concerning therapeutic or policy matters regarding outpatient prescriptions or clinic physician orders. Ensures the maintenance of perpetual inventories of all controlled substances and a drug distribution system that yields maximum control over procurement, storage, and dispensing of pharmaceuticals. Insures that the provisions of the MCCR Program (Medical Care Cost Recovery Program) which apply to Pharmacy Service, are fully supported in accordance with all applicable rules, regulations, and guidelines. When appropriate, fills outpatient prescriptions and issues clinic orders for drugs, supplies and narcotics as necessary. Maintains proper records for all transactions. Issues pharmaceuticals to primary care clinics, subspecialty care clinics, and the surgery suite. CLINICAL: The incumbent assures the accuracy of drug dispensing and the compounding of medications based on patient history and medication profile review, good clinical practice, and other pertinent factors. This includes (but is not limited to) data entry into the computer, Functional Description for a pg. 2 Clinical Pharmacist GS 12 screening orders for drug-drug and drug-food interactions, dosing errors, allergies, incompatibilities, contraindications, and formulary availability. Discrepancies are reviewed with the provider and resolved. Once satisfied, the pharmacist will (release) send the order forward for filling. Provides drug information to physicians, nurses and other associated health care professionals. This may involve open training sessions/discussions with providers or patients, questions received via telephone or electronically (e-mail etc.). Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the mature adult, and geriatric veteran patient. This individual must demonstrate knowledge of the changes associated with aging and possess the ability to interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age related, physical, psychosocial and cultural needs and to provide the care needed, as described in the Pharmacy Service policies and procedures. Maintains effective interdepartmental relationships by committee membership, active problem resolution skills, and close cooperation with other services in accomplishing the medical center mission and goals. Counsels Veteran patients and their families/care givers regarding the purpose, proper use, storage, side effects, and expected outcomes of their drug therapy. Documents the counseling activities in the patients electronic medical record. Encourages use of formulary agents. When a non-formulary request is required, cooperates with the provider to appropriately obtains a review of the request. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 08:00am-04:30pm Compressed/Flexible:Not Authorized Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 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. 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). 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). 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. Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)(a) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1. One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, 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. (b) Assignment. A pharmacist in this assignment 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15 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-12. 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 Anchorage VA Medical Center 1201 North Muldoon Road Anchorage, AK 99504 US
• Name: Philemon Walker
• Phone: 737-318-4240
• Email: [email protected]