Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

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The Inpatient Pharmacist Supervisor provides clinical and technical supervision for all inpatient pharmacy staff members and oversees the operations for inpatient services provided 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Serves as a pharmaceutical specialist for all hospital services and inpatient care areas (e.g. intensive care unit, psychiatry, surgery, medicine).

Major Duties include but are not limited to the following:

Clinical:Supervises all pharmacy-related aspects of inpatient care and ensures the provision of the following:

1. In collaboration with interdisciplinary team members, develop a therapeutic plan which is intended to achieve definite drug therapy outcomes that improve the patient's quality of life.
2. Provide daily support to hospitalists, perform medication regimen reviews and serve as consultants within pharmacy service; collaborate with other health care staff members in providing pharmaceutical care to patients.
3. Actively participate in the provision of medication information, medication use rational and provide all necessary information to facilitate appropriate and safe drug therapies, including reporting of adverse drug reactions.
4. Train new hospital residents on pharmacy-related operation.
5. Participates as an active member of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee.
6. Conducts medication use evaluations (MUE's) to monitor appropriateness of usage and adverse effects of drug therapy and Reports to the QM Committee, Supervisor, Associate Chief of Inpatient Pharmacy Operations, and/or Chief of Pharmacy
7. Participates in interdisciplinary care meetings and multidisciplinary committees (e.g.critical care committee, BCMA, Pharmacy/Nursing, Infection Control, etc)
8. Works directly with Chief of Medical Service and Chief of Staff on projects, process improvement and collaborative studies, when requested.
9. Assesses the inpatient clinical pharmacy program to ensure proper coordination between the delivery of pharmacy service and the overall delivery of health care.

Distributive:

1. Screens medication orders and dispenses medications, including oral medications, small and large volume parenteral with additives, controlled substances, investigational drugs, and chemotherapeutic agents based on the knowledge of current pharmacy practice and standards.
2. Supervises, coordinates, and checks work performed by clinical pharmacist, pharmacy technicians, residents, students, and volunteers, and provides back-up for staff when necessary.

Administrative:

1. Functions as the Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor.
2. Designs, gathers data, monitors and presents evaluations of cost, efficiency, clinical functions, quality improvement, workload, and drug usage evaluations as they pertain to the inpatient pharmacy operation.
3. Manages the unit dose and IV admixture distribution programs, inventory program, and controlled substances program for the inpatient pharmacy section including application of new technologies. Applies VACO regulations and all pertinent pharmacy policies and procedures.
4. Assesses changes in workload, manpower requirements, resource availability, patient requirements, and evaluates and reports impact of changes to Associate Chief of Develops work Pharmacy Operations. schedules to ensure adequate pharmacist and pharmacy technician support for the inpatient pharmacy operation.
5. Ensures maintenance of drug stock levels to meet the needs of patients and supervises procurement of drugs.'
6. Ensures that inspection of clinics and other patient care areas where drugs are used or stored are completed in a timely manner to ensure proper storage and notation of drug stock and to detect evidence of deterioration, over-stocking, or expired medications.
7. Ensures that inpatient pharmacy operation is complaint with JC, VA, DEA, and OIG regulations and guidelines. Is responsible for prompt correction of all findings or deficiencies.

Educational:

1. Precepts and orients clinical pharmacists, pharmacy residents, students, and other trainees as part of pharmacy educational programs.
2. When requested, contributes information for written publication in newsletters and bulletins.
3. Participates in VA Pharmacy Staff Development presentations or in services.
4. Provides in-services to other health care providers as assigned.

Work Schedule: 7am-3:30pm, Possible evenings and weekends in the event of coverage need

Telework: Not available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 10478-F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact [redacted], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

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

Preferred Experience: 1 year full service inpatient operation experience, 1 year supervisory experience in inpatient operation preferred.

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:

1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

2. English Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

3. 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 2 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 InternetBased Test (TOEFL iBT).

4. 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.

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-0660 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-13 Pharmacy Supervisor

• 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.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):
  
  1. Ability to effectively supervise subordinate staff.
  2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  3. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards pertaining to pharmacy
  4. Skill in managing people or programs.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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 num