Clinical Pharmacy Specialist/ Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (Emergency Medicine)

Summary
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.
This job is open to

• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency
Open to all US Citizens.
Videos
Duties
NOTE: This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date.
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws
The primary responsibility of the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Emergency Medicine is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through both direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers.
Duties include, but not limited to the following:
CPS in Emergency Medicine:

1. Serves as a physician extender/independent practitioner in a hospital setting requiring the highest level of pharmacist clinical privileges with minimal supervision. Principal responsibilities include pharmacotherapy management, provision of drug information services, and the development and supervision of pharmacy programs in Emergency Medicine and in the ED.
2. Directly assists clinicians in rational drug selection by providing written and/or verbal consultation
3. Actively participates as a member of the ED to assist in monitoring patient's therapy as directly related to pharmaceutical care.
4. Assures that all prescriptions and actions meet proper eligibility criteria on a patient specific basis and the National Formulary and Non-Formulary procedures are followed; this includes adherence to all national, VISN and local criteria or use treatment algorithms and guidelines.
5. Participates in developing criteria for drug utilization evaluations, data collection trending reports, and other quality assurance activities as required to ensure appropriate and safe drug utilization
6. Actively participates in local, state and national organizations related to the advancement of the pharmaceutical profession

Clinical Practice

1. Practices as the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) for the assigned team. The CPS supervises pharmacotherapy provided by team providers to ensure that National Treatment Guidelines are being followed in addition to adherence to National Formulary and local policy. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist will independently manage unstable pharmacotherapy patients in his/her pharmacotherapy clinics, improving the clinic system efficiency and quality.
2. Fully utilizes the highest level of clinical privileges for CPSs to manage assigned patients.
3. Under appropriate supervision by a physician and with approved clinical privileges assumes authority to direct therapy, order lab tests as indicated for appropriate patient monitoring.
4. Interfaces with providers, including physicians, PAs, ARNPs in the design of the veteran's treatment regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy.
5. Serves as an authoritative information source on drugs and their utilization in therapy, with special emphasis on medications used in treatment of the assigned patients.
6. Evaluates the drug literature by analysis of experimental design and methodology, in order to compare and contract therapeutic regimens and roles for new drugs, with a special emphasis in medications used in referred patients.
7. From a verbal or written patient presentation of signs, symptoms, laboratory tests and diagnoses, recognizes and lists important medical problems, disease states, symptoms or abnormal laboratory values that may necessitate altering the therapeutic regimen or which may be induced by drug therapy.
8. Establishes and expands the patient data base through interpreting the drug history, medical history, physical examination and ongoing patient specific monitoring of therapy, with documentation in the formal patient medical record.
9. Designs a therapeutic regimen or plan, based on patient-specific information that includes establishing a therapeutic endpoint, electing an appropriate drug and related therapy, and establishing an appropriate dosage regimen.
10. Monitors and assesses therapeutic and adverse effects of drug therapy (including drug interactions) through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters.
11. Provides consultation on selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens as a follow-up of non-therapeutic drug concentrations obtained from ambulatory care and inpatients.

Work Schedule: Overnight compressed shifts and may include rotating shifts including weekends, evenings, nights, holidays with non-compressed tours.
Telework: Available, Adhoc as determined by the service.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:80370F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact Jamie Wunsch at V8_EDRP_Orlando@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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).
• 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. 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.

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-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.
  • bExpert 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 and monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies comma including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: PGY1 residency, PGY2 residency in area of specialty, Board certification in area of specialty.
References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13
Physical Requirements: The work involves light to moderate lifting; light to moderate carrying; reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking; standing; repeated bending, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable, far vision correctable in one eye, ability to distinguish basic colors/shades of colors; hearing aid permitted.The work of this position involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as offices, meeting and training rooms, libraries, and residences or commercial vehicles, e.g., use of safe work practices with office equipment, avoidance of trips and falls, observance of fire regulations and traffic signals. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Occasional travel may be required
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.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to ...