Summary

The primary function of the incumbent of this position is to provide inpatient pharmaceutical care in the following specialty areas: Medicine, Oncology, Surgery, IV Therapy, Long-Term Care, Ambulatory Care, Home-based Care, and Psychiatry. The inpatient pharmacist interprets physicians' orders, dispenses medications, oversees drug availability/ accountability, provides patient drug therapy, & reviews use of drugs to enhance patient outcomes.

Duties

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

• Receives, interprets, processes, and fills medication orders.
• Completes order entries of chemotherapy protocols with scheduling of long-term therapy for both oral and I.V. medications.
• Prepares chemotherapy products utilizing aseptic technique and trained protective guidelines.
• Participates in the check and/or double check of the entry and preparation of I.V. chemotherapy medications.
• Checks and verifies accuracy of work performed by students, technicians, and interns.
• Advises other members of the medical/surgical team as well as other health care providers on all matters relating to medication, contraindications, drug interactions, formulary medications, etc.
• Reviews the patient's medication profile for any possible drug allergies, incompatibilities, interactions, duplications, or compliance problems.
• Participates in evaluating new drug requests and non-formulary requests for the inpatient pharmacy.
• Participates in quality assurance audits and drug utilization reviews.
• Acts to ensure that Medical Center and Pharmacy policies and procedures are consistently followed.
• Collects and submits data necessary for the preparation of AMIS, quality assurance and other management reports.
• Assists in developing and updating various medication-related policies and operational procedures that affect his/her area of practice.

Work Schedule: Overnight shift - 8:00 pm until 8:30 am (7days on 7 days off); Work schedule subject to changes based on agency needs.

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 54824F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
• 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.

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:

• 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED).
• 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. (COPY OF LICENSURE REQUIRED).
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C.7402(d), and 7407(d).

Preferred Experience: None

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

(a) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of thefollowing:1. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

(b) Assignments. 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.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Preferred Experience: None

Reference: VA Handbook 5005/55, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standard

Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over, Heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over, Straight pulling (2-3 hours), Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, both hands required, Walking (2-3_ hours), Standing (2-3_ hours), Kneeling (1_ hours), Repeated bending (_Intermittent_ hours), Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Both eyes required, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Hearing (aid permitted), Mental/emotional stability.

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/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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 windowLearn 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.