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. 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: (1) 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.)(2) 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. (1) Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed. (2) Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment. 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). Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (3) If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: GS-11: None beyond basic GS-12: Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: (1) 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or (2) Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. Preferred Experience: None References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15 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: (1) Pharmacist must be of sound mind and body to perform the daily functions required by this position. The work requires standing, light carrying and lifting (under 15 pounds); walking, bending, reaching above the shoulder, and ability to distinguish basic colors. The work also involves working around machinery with moving parts and working closely with others. ["GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The clinical pharmacist is a licensed professional with knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice including pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics. The incumbent is responsible for analyzing real and potential drug-related medical problems and implementing corrective action to ensure that patients receive optimal drug therapy. The clinical pharmacist also applies standards relating to all aspects of distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs. The primary function of a clinical pharmacist is to assure the safe and appropriate use of medications, and be an advocate of rational drug therapy through the following: evaluation of the appropriateness of drug therapy based on patient specific factors; individualization of drug therapy; evaluation, dispensing and providing medications, and drug information. A. Clinical (1) The pharmacist provides appropriate selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; monitoring for efficacy, side effects and clinical outcome; and advises prescribers as appropriate. (2) Provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and/or recommendations to other health care providers in charge of the patient both orally and in writing. Monitoring will include prospective review and intervention in: (a) Therapeutic appropriateness of a patient's drug regimen (b) Therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen (c) Appropriateness of the route and method of administration (d) Degree of patient compliance with the prescribed drug regimen (e) Drug-drug, drug-food, drug-laboratory, or drug disease interactions (f) Clinical and pharmacokinetic laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects (g) Physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy (3) Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy. (4) Provides medication counseling to patients. (5) Completes medication histories including patient interviews. (6) Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers, other health care professionals, patients and caregivers. (7) Participates in review charts, evaluates pertinent laboratory data, drug­-drug and drug-nutrient interactions, monitors for adverse drug effects, and screens for allergies. (8) Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care, including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications. This may include adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient is not taking. (9) Assesses drug safety and efficacy, including evaluation of physical symptoms. (10) Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses/good catches, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program. (11) Participates in the medical center medication utilization evaluation(MUE) program. (12) Recommends formulary alternatives and completes non-formulary consults as assigned. (13) Participates in medical emergencies (is BLS certified) and emergency preparedness activities. (14) Provides pharmacokinetic consultation_:-in accordance with local policy. (15) Implements PT&N Committee policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions to include appropriate patient and provider education. (16) Manages recalls and medication shortage situations by substituting alternate dosage strengths and instructions of the same medication to equal the prescribed dose and schedule. (17) Enters supply orders appropriate for patient care per facility policy. (18) Manages various actions, as appropriate, for medication orders to include: flagging prescriptions, managing view alerts, using the \"hold medication\" function, and generating electronic progress note for medication management issues when necessary (19) Extends refills until next scheduled appointment under the provider's name per facility policy. (20) Serves as a role model and preceptor to pharmacy students and residents. (21) Assumes an active role in staff development of peers and provides educational in-services to nursing, medical staff or to other ancillary services. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800 to 1630 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Stacy.Hermann@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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