Clinical Pharmacist - Inpatient

Veterans Health Administration • Iowa City, IA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The staff pharmacist functions at a high level of clinical practice, working both independently under an individual scope of practice to directly care for patients and in conjunction with medical and surgical teams to advise on the most appropriate pharmacotherapy. Responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most optimal, clinically appropriate, and cost effective medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient-centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; ordering and interpreting laboratory tests and other data to help determine efficacy and anticipate adverse effects and toxicity of medication therapy; reviewing patient medication history and reconciling any discrepancies; monitoring patients for clinically relevant signs or symptoms of medication therapy; provides medication counseling to patients upon discharge to confirm treatment plans; interpreting, evaluating, and approving medication orders for inpatients, procedural areas, and clinics; accurately dispensing medications in a timely manner to meet patient care needs; and precepting pharmacy residents and students. The pharmacist will be assigned on a rotating basis to inpatient medical and surgical service care teams. The staff pharmacist will be consulted by their team(s) for comprehensive medication management and pharmacy services for complex patients in the acute care setting. Pharmacists will also provide pharmaceutical and operational support for all procedures and treatments provided in all ICVAHCS clinics, including CBOCs. The primary mission of a pharmacist is to implement safe and appropriate use of medications. They are to be advocates and provide management of logical drug therapy including the following list of activities outlined in VHA Directive 1108.07, but is not limited to: Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice: Core functions include medication management in practice areas identified in the individual scope of practice. Participation in patient care rounds. Design, implement, document, monitor, and adjust patient-specific therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas. Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities Review, interpret, evaluate, and approve patient medication orders and regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, route of administration, efficacy, side effects, potential drug interactions, appropriate monitoring, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicate findings with prescribers and provide appropriate recommendations to current treatment plans as needed. Monitor and report drug errors, physical signs and/or symptoms, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues with current medication regimen. Document findings regarding facility procedures. Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognize abnormalities and their clinical significance, and make therapeutic adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings. Assist Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee or pharmacy service leadership with medication use evaluations and other quality and safety initiatives. Effectively conduct medication interviews with patients and serve as the medical or surgical team's expert on the patient's medication regimen, compliance, and perspective. Make recommendations based on sound pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and other parameters to optimize safety and efficacy of the patient's medication regimen. Counsel patients on all pharmaceutical changes, provide expert counseling and teaching about changes made and document all activities. Pharmacy Operations: Maintain proficiencies and compliance in compounded sterile preparations and compounded hazardous medications, including appropriate preparation, stability, handling, beyond use dating, and disposal in accordance with USP and standards. Maintain competence in all operational aspects of pharmacy service, including all electronic medical record software, automation, distribution, labeling, bar code medication administration, packaging, documentation, controlled substance accountability, and inventory management. Supervise pharmacy technicians and pharmacy students in performance of any operational functions. Ensure workload is completed in a timely manner and prioritize tasks both personally and pharmacy wide to provide the most efficient and relevant service delivery. Effectively communicate these priorities to pharmacy staff.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement
• Must serve a 1 or 2-year trial period
• 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)
• 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• Experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice.
• Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis.
• Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level.
• Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination.
• Part-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek.

Nice To Haves

• Recent experience in a current or previous job (including residency training) that includes direct patient care and comprehensive medication management responsibilities in an acute care setting.
• An Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree, advanced pharmacy degree (PharmD), board certification (BPS), PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, or equivalent experience or mentorship.

Responsibilities

• Designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most optimal, clinically appropriate, and cost effective medication treatments
• Helping achieve positive patient-centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas
• Ordering and interpreting laboratory tests and other data to help determine efficacy and anticipate adverse effects and toxicity of medication therapy
• Reviewing patient medication history and reconciling any discrepancies
• Monitoring patients for clinically relevant signs or symptoms of medication therapy
• Provides medication counseling to patients upon discharge to confirm treatment plans
• Interpreting, evaluating, and approving medication orders for inpatients, procedural areas, and clinics
• Accurately dispensing medications in a timely manner to meet patient care needs
• Precepting pharmacy residents and students
• Assigned on a rotating basis to inpatient medical and surgical service care teams
• Consulted by their team(s) for comprehensive medication management and pharmacy services for complex patients in the acute care setting
• Provide pharmaceutical and operational support for all procedures and treatments provided in all ICVAHCS clinics, including CBOCs
• Implement safe and appropriate use of medications
• Provide management of logical drug therapy
• Medication management in practice areas identified in the individual scope of practice
• Participation in patient care rounds
• Design, implement, document, monitor, and adjust patient-specific therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas
• Review, interpret, evaluate, and approve patient medication orders and regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, route of administration, efficacy, side effects, potential drug interactions, appropriate monitoring, and therapeutic outcomes as required
• Communicate findings with prescribers and provide appropriate recommendations to current treatment plans as needed
• Monitor and report drug errors, physical signs and/or symptoms, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues with current medication regimen
• Document findings regarding facility procedures
• Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognize abnormalities and their clinical significance, and make therapeutic adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings
• Assist Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee or pharmacy service leadership with medication use evaluations and other quality and safety initiatives
• Effectively conduct medication interviews with patients and serve as the medical or surgical team's expert on the patient's medication regimen, compliance, and perspective
• Make recommendations based on sound pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and other parameters to optimize safety and efficacy of the patient's medication regimen
• Counsel patients on all pharmaceutical changes, provide expert counseling and teaching about changes made and document all activities
• Maintain proficiencies and compliance in compounded sterile preparations and compounded hazardous medications, including appropriate preparation, stability, handling, beyond use dating, and disposal in accordance with USP and standards
• Maintain competence in all operational aspects of pharmacy service, including all electronic medical record software, automation, distribution, labeling, bar code medication administration, packaging, documentation, controlled substance accountability, and inventory management
• Supervise pharmacy technicians and pharmacy students in performance of any operational functions
• Ensure workload is completed in a timely manner and prioritize tasks both personally and pharmacy wide to provide the most efficient and relevant service delivery
• Effectively communicate these priorities to pharmacy staff

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree