Clinical Pharmacist

This position is located within the Pharmacy Services located at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center in Cleveland, OH. The primary functions will be interpretation of doctor's orders, reviewing the computerized medication profiles, communicating with prescribers to resolve problems, dispensing appropriate medications, and providing a variety of pharmaceutical information and guidance to patients and medical center staff.

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Clinical

• Screens patient profile for appropriateness, duplication, drug/drug and drug/food interactions, incompatibilities or other drug related problems, and making recommendations for change to the prescriber when necessary.
• Furnishes drug information to physicians, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, patients, and others. Information should be age and physical status appropriate.
• Prepares discharge prescriptions and counsels patients upon discharge from the medical center. Documents discharge counseling appropriately in the each patient's electronic chart.
• Contacts prescribers to make therapeutic and cost saving interventions.
• Documents interventions appropriately in pharmacy intervention database.
• Participates in adverse drug reaction monitoring and reporting, in Pharmacy Quality Assurance Program and in Drug Use Evaluation Program.
• Participates in clinical rotation with the medicine service as needed. Attends daily rounds, recommends therapeutic and formulary alternatives, performs and documents patient admission assessments, performs and documents discharge counseling, and addresses and documents medication errors.

Dispensing

• Evaluates physician orders for appropriateness based upon patient medication profiles, medical history, age and physical status. This includes screening orders for dosage errors, interactions, allergies, contraindications, formulary availability and stop dates. Consults with prescriber, or other provider, when appropriate.
• Inputting and/or verifying medication orders accurately through the electronic health records system.
• Checks technician/trainee prepared unit doses, IV admixtures, and a variety of outpatient prescription fills for accuracy.
• Prepares, dispenses compounds, and appropriately labels a variety of pharmaceuticals to outpatients and inpatients. This includes parenteral, oral solids and liquids, topical, sterile intravenous products, and diagnostic agents.
• Handles controlled substances and investigational drugs in accordance with required regulations, local procedures, and approved protocols.
• Participates in the control and maintenance of medication inventories throughout the medical center by identifying items in short supply, rotating stock, and checking expiration dates.
• Makes outpatient prescription co-payment decisions based on patient eligibility and disabilities.
• Enforces security and safety guidelines and procedures. Appropriately handles and disposes of hazardous chemicals and dangerous drugs.

Education

• Participates in continuing educational programs within the medical center and in in-service programs with the Pharmacy Service.
• Assists in the training and orientation of newly hired pharmacists and technicians, interns, and students.
• Acts as preceptor or trainer for pharmacy interns, pharmacy students and technician students.
• Maintains his/her competency with regards to special needs of the geriatric patient, such that the highest level of pharmaceutical care is provided to our older patients at all times.
• Completes appropriate state required continuing education (CE) credits and maintains license in active status.
• Keeps abreast of service and medical center policies and contributes as a team member to successful TJC surveys and other quality and risk management inspections/visits.

Work Schedule: 07:00am-03:30pm or 08:00am-04:30pm, rotating weekends and holidays.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer 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: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 95268-0
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.
• 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:
  • 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.
• 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.

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-12 Clinical Pharmacist

Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

• 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level,
• or
• Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

Assignment. 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; 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.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):

1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: None.

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.

Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing at least 50 lbs., and bending/stooping.

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.