Summary

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist serves as a provider with prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's practice area based scope of practice for the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) in Cardiology to provide comprehensive medication therapy management (MTM). The primary responsibility of the CPS is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through direct care with patients and consultation with other providers on their team.

Duties

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Major duties may include, but are not limited to:

Global

• The incumbent must possess necessary interpersonal skills to function effectively with the healthcare professionals and patients within the assigned patient care area. Strong oral and written communication skills are essential.
• The incumbent will need general WC Integrated Training or Clinical Video TeleHealth certification and expertise in video tele-health patient assessment and therapeutic relationship.
• Scope of Practice: The scope of practice will be dependent upon the incumbent's training and experience.

Clinical Duties

• Is directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas as a provider.
• Actively involved in reviewing patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required as a provider. Communicates findings with other providers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
• Applies knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities.
• Has expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is knowledgeable and able to make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
• Coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes for tele-health program including management of health emergencies at remote site. As required, the CPS will provide tele-health assessments and treatment provided by tele-work.
• Incumbent documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate.
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record.
• Incumbent performs drug use evaluations on behalf of national, VISN and local medical center initiatives and other Pharmacy and Therapeutics activities as needed.
• Provides patient-specific drug therapy to maximize patient response and minimize drug interactions, adverse drug effects, and polypharmacy while providing cost-effective treatment. The assessments are based on clinical reviews and objective measures. Clinical pharmacy specialists will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions.
• Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
• Follow up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy (i.e., changes in medication therapy, monitoring and evaluation, additional testing requirements, referral to primary care or specialty care physician).
• Monitors for and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Incumbent documents findings per facility procedures.
• Reviews and evaluates requests for assigned prior authorization drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
• Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies.
• Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
• Serves on medical center, VISN or National committees as requested.

Education and Research:

• Participates in the training and in-service of medical staff, nursing staff, residents, students and other allied health professionals as required.
• Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. Incumbent adjusts communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations. Accurately assesses and document patient comprehension. Refers patients to educational programs provided at the medical center by multidisciplinary teams.
• Utilizes effective written and verbal communication techniques in teaching others.
• Assists in new employee orientation sessions as scheduled.
• Assists in the development of proposals for improved and/or new clinical pharmacy services.
• Independently designs and conducts clinical research with the scope of practice.
• Assists in the training of new pharmacy staff.
• Serves as a preceptor to students of Affiliated Schools of Pharmacy and pharmacy residents in accordance with established protocols.
• Ensures the residency is effectively managed and maintains ASHP accreditation for the program when serving as a Residency Program Director.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Telework: Ad-hoc only, as determined by the agency policy.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 54184-F

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).
• 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, 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.)
  
  • 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. 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.

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-13 Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements which are: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. 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.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following 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.

Preferred Experience:

• Education/Training:
  
  • PGY1 Pharmacy Residency
• Education/Training:
  
  • PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency OR PGY2 Internal Medicine Residency OR 2 year Pharmacotherapy Residency program OR PGY1 + 3 years of >50% Cardiology Clinic experience with scope of practice
• Experience:
  
  • 2 years Clinical Pharmacy Specialist position with direct patient care responsibilities and scope of practice in ambulatory cardiology/cardiology clinic
• Certification:
  
  • BCPS or BCCP

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking ( 8 hours); Standing ( 8 hours); Kneeling ( 1 hours): Repeated bending 4 hours; Both legs required: Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4: Specific visual requirement (specify) - DVA Correctable to 20/40; Both eyes required; Ability to distinguish basic colors: Hearing (aid may be permitted)

Education

Duties Continued:

Contributes to the marketing and advancement of the pharmacy team through active involvement in facility-based programs designed to support veteran care and healthcare education/communication (e.g., diabetes education, health fairs, local, state, regional and/or national poster/platform presentations, and active participation in pharmacy professional organizations).

Drug Information:

• Incumbent serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information.
• Incumbent has a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic.
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