You will be assigned as Outpatient Clinical Pharmacist at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, San Antonio TX. You will handle routine medication-related activities in accordance with local Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations. You will review, interpret, and verify medication orders for appropriateness; process and fill medication orders; interact with other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care.

Duties

A clinical pharmacist (CP) 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 an 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. Prescription Processing: Utilize and maintain proficiency with all computerized prescription processing systems to be able to appropriately process/review all medication orders. Verify eligibility for Non-VA care Community Care Network prescriptions, Non-VA urgent-care prescriptions, and non-VA care hospital discharge prescriptions, ensure non-VA providers are authorized and credentialed to prescribe medications before entering them into the system. Follow facility policies to enter/review Prescription Drug Monitoring program (PDMP), take appropriate action, and document review when necessary. Receive, interpret and evaluate all electronic and/or written provider medication orders for both accuracy and appropriateness using acceptable pharmacy practice standards. Enter Prior Authorization Drug Requests (PADRs) into electronic health record system. Communicate status of pending authorizations with patients. Investigate patient issues concerning any medication orders from the provider, mailed medications in route/lost and attempt to resolve at point of care. Provide partial orders, extend refills, and/or enter orders for supply items for patient care per facility procedures. Prescription Filling/Checking/Distribution: Ensure all medications and supplies are stored appropriately with proper attention to rotation of stock inventory management and complying with all laws and VHA policies. Oversee and assist in the filling of prescription orders, packaging the medication, and completing all required filling documentation. Direct and participate in packaging of medication workflow to ensure timely dispensing. Utilize and maintain proficiency with all applicable manual and automated dispensing equipment. Verify all medications/medical supplies are processed/filled accurately, packaged/labeled in full compliance, to include paperwork in accordance with Federal rules and regulation, VHA directives, local policies/procedures. Identify patients and distribute medications appropriately. Ability to properly package prescription medications for dispensing. Prepare medications and supplies for window pick up or mail. Clinical: Provide patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations to health care providers in charge of the patient. Monitoring will include prospective review of patient's active medications for appropriateness of the medication regimen for the condition being treated, route of administration, drug-drug, drug-food, drug-laboratory or drug-disease interactions, and any synergistic, antagonistic, cumulative, potential overdoses and/or incompatibilities, compliance, anticipate side effects, toxicity and adverse effects. Provide appropriate selection of drug therapy based on the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and advises prescribers as appropriate. Provide up to date drug information and discusses formulary alternatives with prescribers, other health care professionals, patients and caregivers regarding medications/supplies not available due to non-formulary status, backorder status, or manufacturer discontinuation. Evaluate and complete non-formulary consults as assigned in accordance with VA criteria for use, recommending formulary alternatives. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday rotating shifts 0800am-1630pm 1000am-1830, with the possibility of weekends/holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not 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. *HPTs who are on track to graduate/complete the requirements should respond as if they have met the requirements. Provide details in the narrative sections of the assessment. 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. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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). 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. 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. Grandfathering Provision: 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-11 Pharmacist: Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (Note: See exception to licensure requirements above.) Assignment. Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity. GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, Or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice experience preferably in the outpatient setting -Receives, interprets, inputs, and dispenses all written/electronic entry orders from health care providers using acceptable pharmacy practice standards. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. Ability to evaluate prescriber orders for appropriateness of therapy, incompatibilities, side effects, and interaction of drugs and drug products. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters Knowledge of Outpatient Pharmacy dispensing machine, preferably the Optifill. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: A Clinical Pharmacist will be standing for periods of time, walking long distances, stooping, bending, stretching, lifting and carrying loads up to 44 pounds. Will communicate directly with patients and practitioners. Will need to input documentation into a computer. Must be able to reach above his/her shoulders and have the use of both hands and fingers. Must have the ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors.

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 Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]