Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Mental Health - Department Of Veterans Affairs

DutiesCPS (Mental Health)Duties of the position include, but are not limited to the following:Facilitates all outpatient orders to include patient information, correct medications, dose, route, and frequency of administration. Orders are checked for patient allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and priority.Identifies, interprets, and resolves prescribing and dispensing issues, including pharmacotherapeutics and formulary. Documents interventions as necessary.Acts as a provider within a scope of practice provided by privileges accorded by the Pharmacy Professional Standards Board.Prescribed drug therapy is evaluated and communicated daily to physicians/pharmacists for appropriateness, effectiveness, cost-benefit, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and disease states.Review patient medications ensuring medications have appropriate diagnosis if indicated by provider, dose, route, interval and have no significant drug interactions, incompatibilities, or duplications in therapy. Recommends appropriate drug therapy changes based on review and on standards of care and patient response. Practice formulary management, ensuring the most cost effective and therapeutically appropriate medications are utilized based on individual patient needs. Ensures non-formulary medication usage is appropriate according to VA policies and standards of care.All patient's' interviews and assessment notes are completed appropriately in a manner consistent with the current quality assurance policies.Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.Conduct, at least annually, quality improvement and/or medication utilization review in assigned areas.Using suitable oral, written, or audiovisual communication techniques and methods, the specialist will inform, educate, and counsel patients about their drug therapy in order to maximize proper use of medication and, therefore, improve therapeutic outcomes.Responsible for providing the medical centers staff with accurate, comprehensive information about drugs and their use and shall serve as the department's primary resource for meeting its drug information responsibilities.Effectively communicates all appropriate information and significant events through proper channels and to the Associate Chief of Pharmacy. The CPS is required to prioritize work to met operational and patient care needs. Pharmacy Service Policy and Procedures, VA Regulation and State and Federal Pharmacy Laws will serve as operational guidance.Directs/coordinates an organized, structured, clinical rotation of pharmacy students and residents.Supervises and trains student pharmacists and pharmacy residents and provide training to other healthcare professionals as necessary. He/she will evaluate residents and students based on performance, presentations, and examinations. In-service presentations on pharmacotherapy of substance use disorders will be provided to students, residents, and other healthcare staff.Performance must demonstrate the ability to adjust to change or work pressure in a pleasant manner, handle differences of opinion in a businesslike fashion, follow instructions conscientiously, and function as a team member, helping the group effort where possible.Interacts with a wide variety of staff and demonstrates sensitivity to and an understanding of their needs by taking ownership of the problem and adopting the customer's needs as their own.Provides professional and technical advice, support, and assistance to all customers with a view towards accomplishing the service mission (i.e., customer service). Personal interactions will be free of legitimate negative feedback. Consistently responds to patient's, families', visitors', and co-workers' requests for assistance promptly and in a friendly and cooperative manner. Any deficiencies in the area are limited and minor and have no significant adverse impact on either organizational or individual productivity or efficiency.Listens to all customer/patient feedback, positive and negative, acts to resolve complaints within his or her control, and reports feedback to management (or supervisor) in a timely manner.Maintains conduct, attitude, and practice consistent with the Medical Center's mission and vision goals as well as the Pharmacy's professional code.Work Schedule: 0800-1630Telework: Available (Ad-Hoc)Virtual: This is not a virtual position.Functional Statement #: 30665FRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not AuthorizedPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements Conditions of EmploymentYou 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.You may be required to serve a probationary period.Subject to background/security investigation.Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.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).Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. QualificationsBASIC REQUIREMENTSEnglish Language Proficiency - Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).Citizenship - Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)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: , or through their Web site at: . (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, 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.
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.
Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment.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.Physical Requirements - The work may require sitting for long periods of time (4-8 hours) with occasional stooping or kneeling, walking, and standing for long periods of time. The principle duties require repetitive use of hands and fingers (i.e., typing, writing). The incumbent must be physically capable of operating various types of equipment used for the job (i.e. computer, telephone).GRADE-LEVEL DETERMINANTS - (In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria MUST be met when determining the grade of candidates)GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy SpecialistExperience or Education - In addition to the GS-12 requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

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.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.EducationIMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: . 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: .
Additional informationReceiving Service Credit or 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 number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Help

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefitsEligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.Applicants are responsible for providing the information needed to determine their qualifications for the vacancy.
This includes information such as:
the vacancy announcement numberposition title and gradehow to contact the applicantdescriptions of jobs held including:
the name and address of employerjob titledescription of dutiesbeginning and ending date (month/year) of employmentaverage hours worked per weeksupervisor's name and phone numbereducation (including name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned"other information (such as possession of licenses, certificates, etc).
Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the applicant's level of experience. Although not mandatory, if the position is (was) with the Federal government (military or civilian), applicants should state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion.
Basis for Selection: Selection for positions will be based on the objective evaluation of the candidates' total qualification for the position. "Qualifications" mean the combination of experience, training, education, skills, knowledges, abilities, personal characteristics, and merit factors deemed to be pertinent to successful performance.
Area of Consideration - Eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
Current permanent VA employees of the facilityAll other VA employees and Past/Current/Upcoming Trainee Graduates
Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.