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

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist is a licensed professional with advanced knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice including pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics. The incumbent functions as an advanced practice professional for Cardiology services and is responsible for analyzing real and potential drug-related medical problems and implementing corrective action to ensure that patients receive optimal drug therapy outcomes. The incumbent works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. The incumbent also applies standards relating to all aspects of distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to complete the duties of the position, including the necessary skills to provide care appropriate to the patients needing Cardiology services. Duties may include but are not limited to: Clinical The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as an advanced practice professional who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and serves as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. Designs, implements, assesses, monitors and documents therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments. 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 other health care providers as appropriate. Dispensing and Compounding Reviews all medication orders for appropriateness, drug selection, dosage, route of administration and the amount, prior to dispensing. Ensures all medication orders are entered into the electronic patient medical record. Processes, checks and fills all orders in a timely fashion; review of the patient's allergy history, drug-drug, drug-nutrient, drug-laboratory and drug-disease state interactions and assessment for clinical relevance should be performed and dealt with appropriately. Administrative Functions as acting supervisor or pharmacist in charge when assigned. Reports actual or projected usage patterns to the Procurement Section to assist in the timely and cost effective ordering of supplies to meet patient needs. Represents pharmacy and contributes clinical and administrative expertise as a member of committees within the assigned area. Education Provides education to health care providers regarding medication use. Maintains basic knowledge of pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics in the area of practice. Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program. Conducts on-the-job training and provides guidance through designated programs. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday, 7:30 am - 4;00 pm including Weekends, Evenings, Nights, and Holidays rotated on a fair and equitable basis to meet the needs of the Service. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for a highly qualified candidate subject to approval, available funding, and in accordance with agency policy. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected] , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Available per Agency policy and Service Approval on an Ad hoc basis. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD50489F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

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: Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Licensed Pharmacists 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). Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on or before June 7, 2012 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. Grade Determinations for Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - GS-0660-13 (Above full performance): Experience: In addition to the Basic Requirements, Pharmacists assigned to the GS-13 grade must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12): Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher the 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. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): 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. Preferred Experience: Previous clinical experience in the Cardiology setting, Heart Failure setting, or PACT setting (with Heart Failure involvement) or completion of a PGY2 pharmacy residency with a significant focus in this area (or similar) is preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13 . The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving stating or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking. Additionally, occasional lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies may be required, and bending, stooping or stretching.

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

Contacts

• Address Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1601 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, FL 32608 US
• Name: Diana Dieringer
• Phone: 727-398-6661 X64162
• Email: [email protected]