Clinical Pharmacist - Outpatient

A pharmacist in this assignment 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 and effective care

Duties include but not limited to:
CLINICAL

• Applies basic knowledge of pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics to monitor and assess patient therapies.
• Completes medication reconciliation at point of discharge from inpatient services and acute hospital care and assists the provider with medication management challenges (e.g. non-adherence, adverse drug event identification and reporting, chronic narcotic use, polypharmacy, drug/drug interactions, etc) as needed.
• Interview patients to ascertain significant past medical history and medication history. Identify patient-specific medication issues, including appropriateness, drug interactions, efficacy, therapeutic duplications, adverse drug events and compliance problems.
• Provides segue between inpatient pharmacy services and outpatient pharmacy services by assisting veterans with discharge process, and assuring they leave the facility with proper prescription refills and minimizes therapeutic duplication by interfacing with provider.
• Improves clinical care to veterans through interventions to reduce the frequency of drug related problems and adverse drug events.
• In collaboration with other staff, educate the veterans and caregivers regarding proper use of medications.
• Document all clinical activities, update problem lists, and update medication allergy information in the medical record in a timely manner.
• Establish and maintain effective interpersonal relations with others which reflect a cooperative attitude.
• Evaluate medication regimens for drug-drug interactions, drug-food interactions and adverse drug reactions.

EDUCATION

• Precepts and orients pharmacy students, residents, and other trainees as part of pharmacy educational programs.
• Provides written and verbal drug information to educate patients and health care professionals in both formal and informal sessions including in-services and discharge counseling.
• Participates in and attends staff development presentations for all Pharmacy Service personnel.

DISPENSING

• Screens and evaluates prescriber's medication orders for appropriateness, dispensing outpatient medication, including controlled substances and investigational drugs based on current pharmacy practice and standards.
• Utilizes VISTA and CPRS packages to maintain complete patient medication records.
• Utilizes a broad base of knowledge for finishing orders in VISTA, checking laboratory results and finding other patient related data in the medical center computer. Integrates this information into the prescription filling process.
• Ensures professional standards, regulations, laws and hospital guidelines are met when dispensing medications.

PRESCRIPTIVE AUTHORITY FOR THE CARE OF NEW MEXICO VA HCS VETERANS
The authority to alter medications without co-signature of a physician is limited to the following:

• Discontinue medications if the patient is no longer using, the medication is being replaced by another, there is no therapeutic benefit, or the patient is intolerant to the medication or having adverse side effects.

ADMINISTRATION

• Reports directly to and requires minimal supervision by the Outpatient Pharmacy Supervisor.
• Participates as a Non-Formulary (NF) Consult reviewer for assigned area(s) and completes consults within established timeframe.
• Provides any reports, data collection, quality assurance information and medication use evaluation information as requested.
• Assures that all prescriptions and actions by providers meet proper eligibility criteria on a patient specific basis and that National Formulary and Non-Formulary procedures are followed. This includes adherence to all national, VISN and local criteria-for-use treatment algorithms.
• Documents clinical interventions in appropriate manner.
• Works closely with the Technician Supervisor(s) in overseeing the work of Staff Technicians.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Interacts with patients, visitors, staff, volunteers and student/resident trainees in a courteous, helpful, cooperative and compassionate manner.
• Develops and promotes resourcefulness in helping patients and staff, exercising patience in resolving problems to enhance patient and customer satisfaction.
• Responds positively and in a timely manner to customer request for service or information. Meets schedules and commitments, adjusting to changing needs.
• Solicits and listens to patient/customer feedback, positive and negative. Seeks to continually improve customer/patient satisfaction with pharmacy services provided.

Work Schedule: Rotating scheduled including weekends, evenings and holidays, but mostly Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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. 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.) 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.
• 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).

Grade Determinations:
GS-11 Pharmacist - Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist
Education and Experience. (a) 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11), or (b) completion of an ACPE-accredited PharmD. Program.
Demonstrated 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.

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: The required work places no special demands on the employee. The work includes some walking, standing, bending, and some moderate lifting up to 44 pounds. Most of the work is performed while seated.

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/.

• 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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.