Summary

This position is located at the Richard L. Roudebush VAMC, Indianapolis, IN Pharmacy Service. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist works independently under the Associate Chief for Clinical Pharmacy Services and Chief of Pharmacy, or designee, and keeps them apprised of trends/problems associated with their assigned areas. Their primary responsibility is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through direct interaction with patients and providers.

Duties

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This pharmacist promotes and manages drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge that is consistent with policies established at the national, VISN, and local levels. The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist functions as part of the Pharmacy team to accomplish department missions and goals.

Clinical Duties:

• Designs, implements, and monitors therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes by direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
• Prescribes medications as per the pharmacist's approved scope of practice.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
• Reviews patient medication regimens for cost effective drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
• Monitors for and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility and VA policy.
• Applies a knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities.
• The pharmacist has expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is able to make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
• Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drug consults for appropriateness in compliance with established criteria where applicable and provides therapeutic alternatives as necessary.
• Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate.
• Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies. Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
• Responds to Code Blue emergencies and offers assistance to Code Team as appropriate.

Education and Training:

• Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy residents, pharmacy students, and other medical center personnel as required.
• Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.
• Is skilled at using both written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.
• Serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students and/or pharmacy residents.

Administration:

• Acts as point-of-contact with Patient Care Services for resolution of time sensitive nursing/pharmacy issues.
• Participates in the medical center and pharmacy service quality improvement programs, including the ongoing professional practice evaluations.
• Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested.
• Participates in the drug use evaluation process as needed.

Research:

• Participation in research activities must be in accordance with FDA guidelines and regulations and VHA policy.
• Coordinates the receipt and distribution of all drugs in an investigational and/or clinical evaluation status and maintains appropriate records regarding their use as applicable.
• Serves as primary investigator for pharmacy resident and/or student research projects as necessary.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 92719A

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 examination.
• 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).
• 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.
• Education: You must be 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.
  
  • NOTE: 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).

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:

GS13

Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

• GS12 requirements include: Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice; Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff; Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security; Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Pharmacists assigned to this GS13 position must demonstrate the following KSAs:

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

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

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

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

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

Preferred Experience: preferred experience- PGY1 and PGY2 residents experience with critical care, acute care or internal medicine. Board Certification in Critical Care or Pharmacotherapy

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13.

Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the position. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing at least 50 lbs., and bending/stooping.

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

Area of Consideration: Open to Current Veterans Health Administration employees. This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, VRA, Schedule A, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). Employees and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) eligible displaced VA competitive service employees. This does not include temporary, term or temporary employees. Past/current/upcoming VA Health Professional Trainees (HPTs) of related educational field. **First consideration to be given to current Richard L. Roudebush VAMC employees.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community.