Summary

The VA Chalmers P Wylie Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Columbus, Ohio, is recruiting for a Clinical Pharmacist of Pharmacy Service. The Pharmacist is responsible for both direct and indirect patient care, drug therapy monitoring, staff education, prescription processing, patient counseling, and acts as Pharmacy's liaison with physicians and other health practitioners.

Duties

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

Clinical

• Reviews, interprets and verifies medication orders & prescriptions for appropriateness; processes medication orders & prescriptions prior to dispensing.
• Interacts with providers in the design of safe and effective treatment regimens.
• Reviews patients medications and laboratory information and identifies any medication-related problems that may be affecting the patient or contributing to the need for hospitalization, including side effects, allergic reactions, toxicities, improper dosage regimen, noncompliance, etc.
• Provides refill extensions and partial medication supplies when appropriate.
• Serves as an authoritative information source on medications and their utilization in therapy.
• Assists with medication reconciliation and formulary management.
• Designs dosage regimens from current pharmacokinetics principles and specific patient parameters.
• Provides consultation on selection of appropriate dosage regimens as follow-up when non-therapeutic drug levels are obtained.
• Designs, conducts and participates in studies, audits and evaluations concerning the utilization review of drugs under the auspices of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee.
• Documents and assesses Adverse Drug Events.
• On call as needed for emergency maintenance of pharmacy refrigeration.

Education

• Provides in-service education programs directed to the development of the Pharmacy staff and education of other health care disciplines.
• Educates patients, family members, or caregivers on the proper use and storage of medications through interactions and the use of medication profiles.
• Provides patient care which is appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient.
• Maintains his/her professional competency by keeping up with information on new drugs, new drug therapies, innovations in Pharmacy practice, and integrating this information in his/her daily practice.

Program Management

• Assists in conducting and reporting internal audits as required. Maintains all pertinent professional and administrative records as necessary. Assists in data collection for drug utilization evaluations and adverse drug events.
• Acts as a liaison between Pharmacy Service and other health care providers.

Distribution

• Responsible for verifying and editing all new prescriptions initiated by providers (both outpatient prescriptions and medications intended for administration within the facility.)
• Oversees technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution

Quality Improvement

• Documents medication incidents, clinical interventions, and adverse drug events.
• Assists with tracking and reporting outcomes for pharmacy clinics.
• Participates in the Pharmacy Service and Clinic quality improvement processes.
• Assist in the development of proposals for new clinical pharmacy services.

Customer Service

• Relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public are consistently courteous, respectful, and cooperative.
• Employee will display a cooperative attitude and effectively works together to implement the organization's mission and goals.
• Employee will ensure productivity is maintained at the established level for the program for which responsible.

Age Specific

• The employee provides patient care, which is appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient. Must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of patient served in his or her assigned areas. The individual must demonstrate the knowledge of changes associated with aging and possesses the ability to provide care based upon age related factors as specified on the competency assessment checklist.

Safety and Security

• 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. Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc.
• Ensure applicable laws, Federal regulations, and VA National and Local policy and procedure regarding medication storage are followed.

Supervisory Controls over the Position

• The employee functions under the general supervision of the Pharmacy Supervisor and Chief, Pharmacy Service, with only limited administrative and/or professional guidance.

Work Schedule: Standard M-F 8AM to 4:30 with flexibility to meet the needs of the facility; rotating evenings, weekends, holidays

Telework: Ad Hoc; if due to Agency/Service need.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 91458A

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.
• 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
  
  • (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 [redacted]; phone: [redacted], 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 1 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. a7 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.
  
  • 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. a7 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.
    
    • 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.
• 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-11 Pharmacist

• Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. (NOTE: See exception to licensure requirement in subparagraph 2c(1) above.)
• Assignment. Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

• 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 4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment a