Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Mental Health)

Summary

A Clinical Pharmacist Specialist/Practitioner (CPP) for the Mental Health Outpatient/Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) will provide clinical services to veterans managed by the Mental Health services at the VA Loma Linda Health Care System. The CPP also represents Pharmacy Services in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder clinics and serves as a representative in various hospital functions.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

03/22/2024 to 04/01/2024

• Salary

$163,762 - $212,896 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 13

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Location

4 vacancies in the following location:

• Loma Linda, CA

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Not required

• 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

Not Required

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBSX-12348258-24-MC

• Control number

783006100

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This job is open to

• Federal employees

• Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

• Federal employees

• Excepted service

Current excepted service federal employees.

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

• The public

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

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to: 1) Current, Permanent Employees of VA Loma Linda; 2) Current, Permanent Employees of Department of Veterans Affairs; 3) Current, Permanent Employees of other Federal Agencies. 4) Current PGY2 psychiatric pharmacy residency trainees are encouraged to apply to this position. 5) All other qualified U.S. Citizens.

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Duties

The City of Loma Linda is a scenic community located within eyesight of the towering peaks of the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains.

Loma Linda is located approximately 60 miles east of Los Angeles in San Bernardino County. While it is near the highly developed job market of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, it does provide a small town setting for your home, work or recreation. Adjacent to California's Interstate 10 freeway, Loma Linda is freeway close to beaches, mountains and desert resorts.

At VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, our health care teams are deeply experienced and guided by the needs of Veterans, their families, and caregivers.

Clinical Pharmacist Specialist/Practitioner (CPP) duties include but are not limited to:

• Acts as an independent provider operating under a scope of practice and providing expertise to other members of the multidisciplinary team.

• Provides medication management services to include, but not limited to, development of treatment goals, assessment and management of symptoms, assessing adherence, and scheduling follow up visits.

• Conducts patient interviews to include, but not limited to, medical history, medication reconciliation, assessment and treatment planning.

• Conducts standardized mental health exams and questionnaires as appropriate for side effect and symptom monitoring.

• Documents all patient interactions and assessments in the medical record promptly and accurately.

• Ensures safe, appropriate, cost-effective medication therapies for patients, in accordance with established policies, procedures, and protocols.

• Communicates regularly with the veteran's treatment team members concerning the ongoing management of the veteran.

• Interacts directly with patients by evaluating each patient's ability to understand medication instruction and providing oral and written counseling as appropriate on his/her disease state and drug therapy.

• Reviews medications and allergies for accuracy, appropriateness, safety, and interactions.

• Orders labs for monitoring of medications and side effects, and adjust medications based on treatment guidelines and patient status within scope of practice.

• Records incidences of clinical impact on patient where interaction with physicians and/or nurses has positively affected the patient's course of therapy.

• Makes recommendations to change, delete or add to the current medication regimen as appropriate to optimize the cost/benefit ratio of the regimen within the guidelines of the P&T Committee, the Preferred Drug Program, treatment protocols, and our network formulary. Notes all changes in the patient's medical record.

• Discontinues medications that are no longer needed by the patient, that are an unnecessary duplication of therapy, or that are causing untoward side effects. Communicates changes to the patient's provider appropriately.

• Provides input to the Pharmacy Service Chief and other Pharmacy supervisors in establishing and accomplishing the Pharmacy's missions and goals.

• Contributes to planning, maintaining, expanding, and coordinating all clinical pharmacy activities in their area of assignment.

• Participates in pharmacy clinical administrative tasks including, but not limited to, clinic maintenance and profile management.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm; may vary based on needs of service

Telework: May be authorized based on needs of service.

Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

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)

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)

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

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

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States

• Education: Applicants must possess one of the following:

• 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.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements above, applicants must possess the following grade requirements.

GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist: Applicants must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. In addition, applicants must meet the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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

Assignment: 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15 - Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standards.

Physical Requirements:

Physical movements involve completion of routine pharmacy functions which include but are not limited to significant computer work/typing, prescription order entry and processing, contact of patients (both face to face and via phone). Certain tasks are repetitive in nature and require multiple steps performed in succession for success. The incumbent should be able to lift and carry up to 30 pounds without significant difficulty. Incumbent must be able to stand or sit in one place for considerable time during completion of complex tasks. Complexity of mental processes involved is extensive, demanding, and challenging.

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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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 to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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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.

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.