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.

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. Preferred Experience: 3 years outpatient experience

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: 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 60602-5109
• phone: (312) 664-3575 - 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 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 licens e 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: Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 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
• 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
• 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-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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs): Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs): 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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is 12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is 12
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Duties

• The primary functions include the interpretation and professional evaluation of provider prescriptions - dispensing of appropriate medications - supervision of pharmacy technicians - students - and volunteers - plus the counseling of patients on proper medication use - medication storage - and adverse effects
• Clinical: Pharmacists engage in a systematic and comprehensive process to accomplish three primary functions: (1) identify patient's actual and potential drug-related problems - (2) resolve the patient's actual drug-related problems - and (3) prevent the patient's potential drug-related problems
• Applies basic knowledge of pharmaceutics - pharmacokinetics - pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics to monitor and assess patient's therapies - progress - labs - and drug-related problems Consults with other health care professionals to ensure appropriate drug therapy such as when clarifying questionable or incomplete outpatient prescriptions
• Provides written and/or verbal drug information to health care professionals
• Counsels patients
• Distributive: Medication orders and dispenses medications - including controlled substances - investigational drugs - chemotherapeutic - intravenous additives - and new biotechnology drugs based on the knowledge of current pharmacy practice and standards
• Supervises - coordinates - and checks all work performed by pharmacy technicians - students - and volunteers - and provides back-up for technical staff when necessary
• Utilizes a broad base of computer knowledge for prescription entry - checking laboratory results - and finding other patient-related data in VISTA and CPRS computer systems Ensures professional standards - regulations - laws and applicable guidelines are met when dispensing medications
• Operates and maintains - when assigned - the automated dispensing 3 packaging and labeling equipment utilized in each pharmacy
• Provides verbal medication education to patients at the time of dispensing
• This may include demonstration of techniques for patients using oral inhalers Administrative: Assists in gathering data and preparing studies of cost - efficiency - quality improvement - workload - and drug evaluations - as requested by supervisory pharmacists
• Performs as pharmacist-in-charge when no supervisory pharmacist is present
• Keeps supervisor apprised of changes in workload - manpower requirements - resource availability - patient requirements - and developments impacting these areas
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor Work Schedule: Mon-Fri - Between 8am - 5:30pm Telework: Not eligible for telework Functional Statement #: 04483F EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
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