Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Acute Care
What you'd do
The Acute Care/Medicine 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 Practitioner (CPP) in Medicine/Acute Care to provide comprehensive medication therapy management (MTM). The primary responsibility of the CPP is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through direct care with patients and consultation with other providers on their assigned teams.
Major duties
Major duties include: Clinical Duties: Design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans. Review medication regimens for effectiveness, safety, interactions, and outcomes; communicate recommendations to providers. Evaluate laboratory data and identify significant abnormalities. Apply pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics to recommend dose adjustments. Coordinate and deliver tele-health assessments and manage remote-site emergencies. Document clinical interventions in CPRS. Obtain and document medication histories. Perform drug-use evaluations for national, VISN, and local initiatives. Provide patient-specific drug therapy recommendations to optimize outcomes and minimize adverse effects. Order, review, and analyze lab tests; follow up with patients on results and therapy plans. Monitor and report drug errors, adverse reactions, allergies, and compliance issues. Review prior authorization drug requests for appropriateness. Promote and monitor compliance with drug therapy policies. Collaborate with providers to ensure compliance with national/VISN/local initiatives. Serve on committees as needed. Education and Research: Train and provide in-services to healthcare staff and learners. Educate patients and families on medications and devices; assess understanding. Use effective written and verbal communication in teaching. Assist with employee orientation. Help develop new or improved clinical pharmacy services. Design and conduct independent clinical research. Train new pharmacy staff. Serve as a preceptor for students and residents. Manage residency programs and maintain ASHP accreditation when applicable. Support pharmacy team visibility and veteran-care initiatives through educational and professional activities. Drug Information: Serve as an authority on drug usage, interactions, overdoses, and compliance. Maintain strong knowledge of written and electronic drug information resources. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of therapeutics and disease management. Provide accurate, timely drug information responses. Safety: Comply with safety and environmental regulations. Use and maintain required protective equipment. Report accidents or illnesses promptly. Report and help correct unsafe workplace conditions. Leadership and Dependability: Provide leadership and guidance in support of supervisors when needed. Act as a communication liaison across pharmacy, service line leadership, and medical staff. Identify opportunities to enhance pharmacy services and communicate them to supervisors. Organizational Presentation and Regulatory Responsibilities: Represent Pharmacy Services professionally and objectively. Support compliance with TJC, OIG, Research Oversight, and other regulatory requirements. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., may include nights and weekends as needed. Telework: Available Ad-hoc per agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD54124-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
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 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 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. § 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 Internal Medicine or 2 year Pharmacotherapy Program or PGY2 Pharmacy Residency equivalent OR PGY1 residency + 3 years of >50% of clinical experience in Hospital Medicine or Critical Care with direct patient care and scope of practice Certification: Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) or BCGP or BCCCP Experience: >3 years of hospital medicine or acute care medicine Experience: Inpatient medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialist with direct patient care & a scope of practice within past 2 years 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)
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