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

A RELOCATION INCENTIVE IS AUTHORIZED The Harm Reduction Coordinator (HRC) Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) is responsible for providing leadership, direction, organization, planning, implementation, and evaluation of harm reduction efforts at the Alaska Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, including overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND), syringe services program (SSP), and fentanyl test strip distribution initiatives. This individual has in-depth knowledge and extensive experience in harm reduction, OEND, SSP, and fentanyl test strip program implementation. The HRC CPS will function at the highest level of clinical practice and licensure, serve as an advanced practice provider, and work independently with prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's scope of practice, up to 20% of scheduled work hours. Functions of the position include: Program Management: 1. Develop, implement, expand, and evaluate outcomes of harm reduction initiatives: OEND. SSP. Fentanyl test strip distribution system. 2. Identify: Vendors and sources to obtain harm reduction supplies. Community harm reduction organizations to refer Veterans who decline or are unable to receive VA harm reduction services. 3. Partner, collaborate, and consult with: Key facility services and programs, such as Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH), Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO), Addiction Recovery Treatment Services, Mental Health Service, Pharmacy Service, and the Pain Management, Opioid Safety, Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMOP) Committee. Office of General Counsel (OGC) District Counsel to determine if any SSP services/supplies are legally prohibited. National VA offices, such as VA Hepatitis and Related Conditions (HRRC), Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention (OMHSP), Academic Detailing Service, Clinical Pharmacy Practice Office (CPPO), for collaboration and development of new harm reduction resources. 4. Participate in relevant local, regional, and national workgroups: Lead the facility OEND Workgroup. Participate in the National VA HIV/SSP Affinity Group, National VA Harm Reduction Support and Development Workgroup, and the National VA Fentanyl Test Strip Workgroup. 5. Advocate for policy and program changes to enhance harm reduction services for Veterans. Clinical: 1. Provide direct patient care equivalent to 20% of the time through direct outreach to Veterans, staff referrals, and Veteran self-referrals. Care may be provided: Virtually (e.g., telephone, clinical video telehealth, VA Video Connect) or in-person. In shared medical appointments and group education clinics. In team or interdisciplinary patient care rounds or meetings. 2. Direct patient care includes: Comprehensive medication management (CMM) focused on harm reduction, including harm reduction education and supplies available as a prescription (e.g., naloxone, sterile syringes, alcohol swabs, condoms) and via non-prescription sources (e.g., fentanyl test strips). Screen, test, and treat for drug-related infections, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Substance use disorder (SUD) screening and treatment, including low-barrier buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD). Referrals to SUD, mental health, ID Clinic, Liver Clinic, and other clinical services. 3. Indirect patient care includes: Identify patients who may benefit from CMM focused on harm reduction through population health management reports and team huddles. Conduct electronic consult (e-consult) medical record reviews and communicating recommendations to the care team. Monitor, report, and document drug errors, adverse events/drug reactions, allergies, and adherence concerns per facility procedures. Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizing significant abnormalities and adjusting the treatment plan as clinically indicated. 4. Promptly document patient care encounters in the electronic medical record and utilize the PHARMD Tool to track outcomes of clinical interventions. Education: Educate Veterans and health care system staff about harm reduction, OEND, and SSP initiatives. Educate health care system staff on ending drug-related stigma and discrimination in healthcare, improving sexual and drug use history taking, and linkage to harm reduction services. Participate in self-development activities to maintain and strengthen professional competence in harm reduction. Work Schedule: Mon - Fri, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: AUTHORIZED EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) 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). 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. GRADE DETERMINATIONS: GS-13 Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. 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. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: 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. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, June 7, 2012. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: The work requires moderate lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds pounds); reaching above the shoulder; use of fingers; standing (up to 8 hours); the ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; and near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to4. There may be exposure to dry atmospheric conditions and constant noise. You must be able to work alone and closely with others.

Education

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP). If selected for this position, you are encouraged to apply for EDRP within four (4) months of appointment and must meet specific individual eligibility criteria in accordance with VHA Policy 1021. Final award amount and program start date is determined after review of a complete EDRP application, supporting documentation, and final approval by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. Please contact the EDRP Coordinator @ [email protected]

IMPORTANT: This position has a positive education or training requirement. An unofficial copy of college transcripts showing completion of the required degree or program is required and must include the name of the school, your name, date conferred or completed, and degree or certificate type.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Anchorage VA Medical Center 1201 North Muldoon Road Anchorage, AK 99504 US
• Name: Joe Julkowski
• Phone: 509-434-7382
• Email: [email protected]