Licensed Pharmacist(Cps) - Specialty Medicine Supervisor

Summary
The Specialty Medicine Supervisor is responsible for the daily professional and administrative/ personnel management of the assigned clinical pharmacy program staff. The pharmacy supervisor for clinical programs is responsible to ensure that safe, efficacious, appropriate, and cost-effective drug therapy is provided with a minimum risk to the FHCC patient.
This job is open to

• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency
First consideration will be FHCC employees. Second consideration will be all current, permanent VA Employees Nationwide.
Videos
Duties
VISN 12 is committed to fostering and sustaining an environment which celebrates diversity, provides equitable opportunities for employment and promotion, and supports inclusiveness in our culture. Together, we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that promote professional growth and teamwork, and are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We embrace our differences as individuals and unite as a team toward a common goal: to serve our nation's Veterans.
FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION:
In consult with the Associate Chief, Clinical Services and Pharmacy Chief, the Specialty Medicine Supervisor is responsible for providing leadership and direction to the pharmacists in the assigned clinical areas. The supervisor in this assignment coordinates the aspects of the pharmacy related activities within the assigned clinical pharmacy program area to develop, organize, and manage these complex program areas. The principle duty is to promote safe and rational drug therapy to the assigned clinical pharmacy program patients by providing comprehensive medication management services. The incumbent will be under the administrative supervision of the Associate Chief, Clinical Services.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
A. Clinical

• Is directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the patient medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
• Actively involved in reviewing patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
• Assumes patient care management functions as delineated in the Scope of Practice statement approved through the Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) Chief Medical Officer/Chief of Staff.
• Monitors for and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Incumbent documents findings per facility procedures.

B. Education:

• Serves as an effective preceptor, directing and supervising pharmacy residents and students as assigned.
• Assists in the development, enhancement, and operation of resident and student training programs.
• Participates in activities of interdisciplinary training and in-servicing of medical staff, nursing staff, residents, students, and other allied health professionals at FHCC as required.
• Coordinates the ongoing educational activities for the assigned pharmacy staff to assure professional competency and quality of the Clinical Pharmacy Section.
• After assessing individual needs, effectively educates patients, family members, or caregivers on the proper use, care and storage of their medications and allow their active participation in the management of an individual's drug therapy through oral or written communications.

C. Administrative/Supervisory

• Develops, establishes, and maintains written policies and procedures defining operational requirements.
• Supervises the implementation of service level programs, including clinical, operational, educational, and research activities.
• Provides first level supervision to pharmacists, trainees, and other staff assigned to clinical pharmacy program areas.
• Develops performance standards that are realistic, challenging, and support the organizational mission, vision, and goals. Ensures the employees meet performance standards and competencies and identifies areas of improvement as needed.
• Interviews employment candidates, makes selection recommendations, conducts performance reviews, recommends appointment, awards or disciplinary action to the Chief, Pharmacy Service, or Associate Chief, Clinical Services, Pharmacy Service as appropriate.

D. Program Management

• Plans and assigns work to be accomplished by clinical pharmacy specialists based upon priorities.
• Participates in the planning and forecasting of the assigned clinical pharmacy program areas by providing the Associate Chief, Clinical Services and Chief, Pharmacy Service with periodic and comprehensive evaluations of the goals, objectives, and prospective changes in functions of the department.
• Advises and supports the Associate Chief, Pharmacy Operations and Chief, Pharmacy Service in planning program resource needs and assists in the growth and development of the Pharmacy Department in all areas of practice.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: Licensed Pharmacist(CPS) - Specialty Medicine Supervisor/PD000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/13/2023.
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.
• Language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English

Education

• 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.
• 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.

GS-13 GRADE EXPERIENCE Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Preferred Experience: In addition to basic Qualification Standard: completion of ASHP-accredited PGY-1 Pharmacy Practice Residency and/or PGY-2 Specialty Pharmacy Residency (in an applicable specialty) or equivalent experience in the major duties for at least 3 years.
Assignment. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher 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.
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:
1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
5. 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, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard
Physical Requirements:
Employees are typically expected to work forty hours per week. This may include evenings and weekends functioning as a CPS. Principle duties require repetitive use of hands and fingers (e.g., handling prescriptions, use of a computer keyboard, etc.). May require lifting and carrying light loads (up to 25lbs.), including boxes, packages, and equipment, stooping or kneeling (e.g., to pick up items from the floor, remove and replace items on lower shelves, and to file documents in lower file drawers, etc.); sitting, walking, or standing for long periods of time (4-8 hours). Normal ranges of hearing and vision are required to perform work and communicate effectively; must have the visual ability to distinguish between basic colors and shades of color. An ability to perform tasks requiring rapid mental and muscular coordination functions simultaneously is necessary. Employees must be physically capable of operating various types of equipment used on the job. Employees may be asked to work voluntary overtime within different pharmacy locations during periods of extreme staffing shortages. If there are no volunteers, reverse seniority will be utilized to work mandatory overtime within their respective clinical areas or as coverage for fellow pharmacy specialists.
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
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 be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.