Clinical Pharmacist

Veterans Health Administration • Fort Meade, SD

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacist handles routine medication-related activities and may provide backup in pharmacy areas requiring a scope of practice for up to 25% of the time. The role supports Pharmacy Service and VA missions by providing courteous, timely, and respectful service to veterans, their representatives, visitors, VA staff, and other customers, while working cooperatively with colleagues and supporting workgroup productivity.

The pharmacist performs medication preparation and dispensing, medication counseling, medication-history interviews and documentation, prescription and refill management, drug-therapy monitoring, and assessment of drug safety and efficacy. The position includes documenting in the electronic health record, communicating drug information and consultations to patients and health care professionals, reporting adverse drug events and medication errors, and participating in emergency response activities. Pharmacists also contribute to therapeutic drug plans, maintain accurate medication profiles, implement Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee policies, and assist with medication recalls, shortages, and research in accordance with applicable regulations and policy.

This is a full-time, non-virtual position. Work schedules vary by location: Fort Meade is generally 7:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m., with two of the three positions also rotating through late shifts, on-call coverage, and weekends; Hot Springs is generally 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., with rotating on-call coverage. Telework is not available.

Requirements

• Graduate from 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.
• Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Be proficient in spoken and written English.
• For GS-12 qualification, have either one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 or completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program, in addition to the basic requirements.
• Demonstrate knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
• Demonstrate ability to communicate orally and in writing with patients and health care staff.
• Demonstrate knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
• Demonstrate skill in monitoring and assessing drug-therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
• Maintain BLS and ACLS certification.
• Be a U.S. citizen, except where VA policy permits appointment of non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Submit a transcript with the application; foreign-educated applicants must provide FPGEC certification and, when applicable, foreign-equivalency documentation.
• Meet applicable pre-employment requirements, including background/security investigation, drug testing for testing-designated positions, and a pre-employment physical examination.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program and complete the online onboarding process.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the stated conditions of employment.

Responsibilities

• Provide courteous, timely, and respectful customer service to veterans, their representatives, visitors, VA staff, and other customers; follow up to ensure satisfactory resolution when needed.
• Work cooperatively with supervisors, coworkers, and other organizational partners, contributing to Pharmacy Service operations and workgroup productivity.
• Prepare and dispense medications and provide medication counseling.
• Obtain medication histories through patient interviews, summarize significant findings in the medical record or to the provider, and maintain accurate VA and non-VA medication profiles.
• Document activities in the electronic health record and manage prescriptions, including extending refills under a provider's name and coordinating follow-up appointments when needed.
• Flag prescriptions, manage view alerts, use the hold-medication function, and generate unsigned discontinued orders using Service Reject.
• Monitor drug therapy and assess safety and efficacy, including evaluation of physical symptoms and relevant diagnostic information.
• Provide drug information and education to patients and staff, and consult orally and in writing with health care professionals about drug-therapy selection and management.
• Report adverse drug events, near misses, and medication errors.
• Maintain BLS and ACLS certification and participate in medical emergencies, code teams, and emergency preparedness activities.
• Enter supply-item orders under a provider's name as permitted by policy.
• Provide pharmacokinetic consultations, including vancomycin and aminoglycoside dosing under a provider's name and in accordance with local policy.
• Implement Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee policies, including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions.
• Manage recalls and medication shortages by substituting alternate dosage strengths and instructions of the same medication to match the prescribed dose and schedule.
• Participate in research in accordance with FDA guidelines and regulations and VHA policy.
• Design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve defined outcomes through direct interaction with patients and providers in assigned areas.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income, child eligibility, and program limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and a federal 401(k) with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
• Selected applicants may qualify to receive credit for prior work or military service when determining annual-leave accrual, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree