Clinical Pharmacist

Veterans Health Administration•Fort Meade, SD

21d•Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacist primarily handles routine medication-related activities and may provide backup support for pharmacy areas requiring a scope of practice less than or equal to 25% of the time. The role serves patients and staff while supporting VA missions and Pharmacy Service operations. The pharmacist performs medication preparation and dispensing, counseling, medication-history interviews, and documentation in the electronic health record. The pharmacist may extend refills until the next scheduled appointment, manage prescription flags and alerts, monitor drug therapy, assess drug safety and efficacy, and provide drug information and education. The role also includes consultations with healthcare professionals, pharmacokinetic recommendations, therapeutic interchanges, medication-shortage and recall management, research participation under applicable regulations and policy, and participation in medical emergencies. The pharmacist maintains accurate medication profiles, evaluates treatment regimens and outcomes, identifies and reports medication-related problems, and communicates recommendations to providers. The position is full-time. Work schedules are 7:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m. at Fort Meade, with two positions rotating late shifts, on-call duty, and weekends; or 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. at Hot Springs, with rotating on-call coverage. Telework is ad hoc; this is not a virtual position. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. Applicants must meet the pharmacy education and licensure requirements, with specified exceptions for temporary entry-level Graduate Pharmacist appointments. The GS-12 grade requires either one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 or completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program, along with the stated knowledge, skills, and abilities. BLS and ACLS certifications must be maintained. Employment is subject to federal eligibility, screening, onboarding, and trial-period requirements.

Requirements

Graduate from an ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a BS Pharmacy and/or Pharm.D. degree; foreign pharmacy graduates must provide FPGEC certification, including the required examinations, to meet the education requirement.
Hold a full, current, unrestricted pharmacy license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. A limited exception allows qualifying non-licensed pharmacists to receive a temporary entry-level Graduate Pharmacist appointment under supervision for up to two years; licensure is required above GS-11.
Be proficient in spoken and written English.
For GS-12, have either one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 or completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.
Demonstrate knowledge of professional pharmacy practice and laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to controlled and non-controlled drug distribution and pharmacy security.
Demonstrate oral and written communication skills with patients and healthcare staff.
Demonstrate skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic parameters.
Maintain BLS and ACLS certification.
Meet federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship subject to stated policy exceptions, applicable background/security investigation, drug screening, pre-employment physical examination, seasonal influenza vaccination, and required onboarding and application documentation.
Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.

Responsibilities

Handle routine medication-related activities and provide backup support for pharmacy areas when needed.
Prepare and dispense medications and provide medication counseling.
Obtain medication histories through patient interviews, summarize significant findings, and document activities in the electronic health record.
Extend refills until the next scheduled appointment and ensure clinic staff are alerted or future appointments arranged when needed.
Manage prescription flags, view alerts, medication holds, and unsigned discontinued orders using Service Reject.
Monitor drug therapy and assess drug safety and efficacy, including physical symptoms, laboratory values, and diagnostic parameters.
Provide drug information and education to patients and staff, and consult orally and in writing with healthcare professionals about drug therapy selection and management.
Report adverse drug events, near misses, medication errors, allergies, and patient compliance issues, documenting findings according to facility procedures.
Design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
Maintain accurate medication profiles, including VA and non-VA medications, and address duplicate or inactive medications.
Review medication regimens for effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, interactions, and therapeutic outcomes; communicate findings and alternatives to prescribers.
Identify drug-related problems and recommend individualized treatment, dose adjustments, or medication changes to providers.
Apply clinical pharmacokinetic principles and make recommendations based on laboratory findings, including vancomycin and aminoglycoside dosing under provider name and local policy.
Enter policy-authorized orders involving supply items under the provider name.
Implement Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee policies, including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions.
Manage recalls and medication shortages by substituting equivalent dosage strengths and instructions when appropriate.
Participate in research in accordance with FDA guidelines, regulations, and VHA policy.
Maintain BLS and ACLS certification and participate in medical emergencies, code teams, and emergency preparedness activities.
Meet customer needs courteously and respectfully, communicate consistently according to policy, follow up on concerns, and work cooperatively with the Pharmacy workgroup and other staff.