Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Summary

The Facility Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMOP) Coordinator will support Facility Pain POC/Clinical Leads in the coordination of pain management, opioid safety, and prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP)-related initiatives and implementation of VHA and the Joint Commission standards. The incumbent reports to the Chief or Associate Chief of Pharmacy at the Hershel "Woody" Williams VA Medical Center.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

03/18/2024 to 03/26/2024

• Salary

$135,347 - $175,956 per year

• Pay scale & grade

AD 13

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Huntington, WV

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

No

• Travel Required

25% or less

• You may be expected to travel for this position.

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent -

• Work schedule

Full-time -

• Service

Excepted

• Promotion potential

None

• Job family (Series)

0660 Pharmacist

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBTF-12345011-24-ED

• Control number

782260500

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This job is open to

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to all VA employees and current pharmacy residents.

Videos

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Duties

VA Careers

• Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

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.

Major Duties to include but not limited to the following:

• Serves as a resource to other healthcare professionals regarding pain medications and the opioid renewal process.

• Assists primary care providers in co-managing "high risk" patients treated with opioids for chronic, non-malignant, pain. "

• Provides medication management of complex patients with chronic, non-malignant, pain by face-to-face and telephone encounters, indirect care, and chart review.

• Provides oversight of the functions of the opioid renewal call center.

• Serves as pharmacy program manager for opioid safety and pain management initiatives.

• Serves as clinical pharmacist consultant for inpatient services providing pharmaceutical care on that service when precepting residents and students.

• Rotates on-call with all clinical pharmacy specialists to allow for 24-hour clinical pharmacy consults.

• Actively participates in cost savings initiatives and formulary maintenance.

• Responsible for clinical practice, oversight, quality assurance reporting.

• Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate.

• Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.

• Unique functions requiring the individual to maintain a scope of practice providing direct patient care.

Education:

• Supervises and precepts pharmacy residents and students during elective pain rotations.

• Provides lectures, in-services and other educational activities for Medical Center staff, patients, and family members, adjusting level of communication based on audience.

• Clinical Assistant Professor/Community Based Teaching Faculty with affiliated schools of pharmacy.

• Skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.

Research:

• Designs, conducts, and interprets controlled clinical trials as the opportunity arises.

• Publishes articles of interest in peer reviewed journals as the opportunity arises.

Drug Information:

• Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information.

• Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management.

• Good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic.

• Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers.

• Evaluates the drug literature to compare therapeutic regimens and roles for new medications.

Supervisory Controls:

• Incumbent's immediate supervisor is the Associate Chief of Clinical Services and higher-level supervisor is the Chief of Pharmacy. Supervision is of a very general nature with a great deal of independence granted in managing assigned Pharmacy programs. Incumbent operates under professional standards of conduct, basic laws and regulations and the policies.

Customer Service:

• Relationships with supervisors, co-workers and others within the organization must be consistently courteous and cooperative in nature and overall contribute to the effective operation of the office. Performance must demonstrate the ability to adjust to change.

• Interacts with a wide variety of staff and demonstrates sensitivity to and an understanding of their needs by taking ownership of the problem and adopting the customer's needs as their own.

• Customers are treated in a professional manner, with tact, courtesy, and respect.

Age, Development, and Cultural Needs of Patients:

• The primary age of patients treated and cared for are normally at the geriatric level, i.e., 60 years of age or older, although occasionally there may be younger patients between the ages of 18-60 years of age that require care.

• Takes into consideration age-related differences of the various veteran populations served.

Computer Security Requirements:

• Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy.

Work Schedule: 8:00am

• 4:30pm, Monday

• Friday

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #:

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Contact tracy.stevens@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

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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:

a. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

b. Education: A 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.

c. English Language Proficiency

d. 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

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: In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must have one year of experience at the next lower GS-12 to meet the grade level requirements

GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

• Experience. Applicantsmust have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Examples of specialized experience include:

• Handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations.

• Review, interpret, and verify medication orders for appropriateness.

• Process and fill medication orders.

• Interact with and make recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care.

• Review patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems.

• Contact providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions.

• Perform medication reconciliation.

• Assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions.

And,

• Demonstrated Knowledge , Skills and Abilities (KSAs). Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.

• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.

• Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.

• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.

• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience:

• PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency
• PGY2 Pharmacy Practice Residency of Experience with pain management.
• BCPS
• Precepting Experience

References: VA Handbook 5005/55 Part II Appendix G15

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: There may be some walking, standing, sitting, bending, and carrying of light items.

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/.

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.

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 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.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.