Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Summary

Incumbent will function at the highest level of clinical practice - providing comprehensive medication management and working under a global scope of practice in Mental Health defined by the medical center that is consistent with policies established at the national - VISN - and local levels. Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners must be capable of using professional judgment and clinical expertise to solve complex problems and to provide clinical information to both providers and Veterans.

Qualifications

*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until July 25 - 2025. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be May 13 - 2025. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. ***

Basic Requirements:

• -Citizenship Citizen of the United States
• -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.) -Foreign Education 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
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-13 -Experience Must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12)
• -Assignments Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• 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
• AND -Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs) 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: PGY-2 Mental Health Residency
• (a) A minimum of three years of practice experience - or equivalent experience in the advanced practice area (i.e. - five years of practice experience in the advanced area with demonstrated mastery of the knowledge - skills - attitudes - and abilities expected of one who has completed a PGY2 residency)
• (b.) board certification in the specialty when certification is offered in that specific advanced area of practice (BCPP) Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Appendix G15 - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position provides services to patients and their families
• Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others
• Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain - corrective lenses permitted) - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - manual dexterity and the ability to distinguish basic colors
• This position may require reaching above shoulder-level height and requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 pounds)
• This position requires long periods of sitting - standing and walking
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs .
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements - such as annual TB screening or testing - as a condition of employment
• Work is performed primarily in the pharmacy setting but may occasionally be in a patient care setting
• The work area is adequately lighted - heated - and ventilated
• Office temperatures fluctuate periodically
• involves everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of such places as clinics - offices - meeting and training rooms or libraries
• exposure to noise and dust on occasion.

Duties

• Mental Health (MH) Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners have full responsibility to develop - organize - and manage patients diagnosed with mental health conditions and to coordinate further diagnostic assessment through appropriate professionals when there is question regarding the treatment diagnosis
• Duties Include: Clinical Pharmacy Services Designs - implementation and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas in mental health as outlined in the individual's scope of practice
• Maintains an active scope of practice - serving as a pharmacist with advanced scope of practice within mental health through provision of patient care during new patient and follow up visits for chronic disease states
• Expertise in clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is knowledgeable and able to make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings
• Reviews patient psychotropic medication regimens for clinical effectiveness - drug selection - dosing - contraindications - side effects - potential drug interactions - and therapeutic outcomes as required
• Document and ensure completion of clinical interventions - encounters - alerts and consults in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate and is accountable for medication reconciliation according to facility policies
• Works with other Mental Health Staff and assists in providing psychoeducation and medication management to patients in both individual and group settings
• Performs medication use evaluations on behalf of national - VISN and local medical center initiatives - for assigned patients
• Orders - performs - reviews and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy
• 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 non-formulary and restricted 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
• Provide tele-mental health assessments and treatment
• Acts as a pharmacist with an advanced scope of practice with specialty training in mental health providing expertise to other providers - pharmacists - nursing and other disciplines as appropriate
• Refers patients to another appropriate clinic and/or provider - as appropriate
• Educates patients on their drug therapy with respect to compliance and proper administration - signs of toxicity - adverse effects - and interactions with other medications - inquires about side effects and refill history - evaluates patient's ability to understand instructions - provides verbal and written instructions to promote patient medication adherence - documents all elements of patient consultation
• Participates in Professional Peer Evaluation
• Education/Teaching/Training Directly involved in the training or support of pharmacy students - pharmacy residents - medical students - psychology interns - fellows and other graduate or postgraduate trainees - as appropriate
• Responsible for the self-development - mandatory training - and education necessary to maintain licensure - stay current with the practice of pharmacy and Joint Commission and GARF standards - and meet facility training requirements
• Provides leadership - guidance - and consultation to staff thorough the Medical Center and associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics as appropriate
• Outpatient Pharmacy Support Counsels patients appropriately regarding their medication and documents this in the notes section of CPRS
• Serves as an authority on drug usage - interactions - over-dosages - and compliance to medical staff - nursing staff - technicians and students
• Verifies electronic orders entered by the physician for accuracy while performing a prospective drug utilization evaluation considering drug-drug interactions - drug-allergy contraindications - drug-disease interactions - and dosage form
• Evaluates and utilizes professional judgment when determining service connection status - applicability of Agent Orange or combat veteran status - and co-pay status of outpatient prescriptions and resets incorrectly marked prescriptions appropriately Document information into VA Adverse Drug Event Reporting System and follows up as appropriate on unique cases as assigned
• Work Schedule: M-F
• 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: May be Available on an Ad-hoc basis Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 51858-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized