Pharmacist (Clinical Pharmacist)

Veterans Health Administration • Prescott, AZ

12h • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacist is a licensed professional responsible for providing pharmaceutical care to optimize patient response and resource utilization for professional staff at the Bob Stump Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Prescott, Arizona. The pharmacist supports non-VA prescriptions, controlled substances, telephone triage, clinical medication management, and medication education.

The position receives and documents prescriptions from non-VA providers, verifies authorization and appropriateness, and assists with tracking and shipping medications, including controlled substances. It reviews Arizona PDMP records, maintains compliance with applicable controlled-substance laws and procedures, secures and documents controlled substances, and monitors medication profiles for potential abuse.

The pharmacist answers patient and provider questions using pharmacy information systems, documents telephone conversations in CPRS, and serves as a resource to pharmacy, medical center, and Community-Based Outpatient Clinic staff. Clinical duties include selecting and monitoring drug therapy, providing therapeutic drug monitoring, evaluating laboratory data and interactions, screening for allergies and adverse effects, performing medication reconciliation at transitions of care, and reporting adverse drug events, near misses, and medication errors. The pharmacist also educates health care providers, patients, and family members about medications and medical devices.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 3:30 p.m. to midnight, or as required by operational demands. Telework and virtual work are not available. The position is bargaining-unit, permanent, and in the Excepted Service. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• Graduate from an ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and/or Doctor of Pharmacy degree, or meet the stated foreign pharmacy graduate education requirements, including FPGEC certification.
• Hold a full, current, and unrestricted pharmacist license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, and maintain registration if required for licensure.
• Be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Meet the GS-12 experience or education requirement: one year of experience equivalent to GS-11, or completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.
• Demonstrate knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate orally and in writing with patients and health care staff.
• Demonstrate knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards governing 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.
• Be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizen appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Meet applicable background and security investigation requirements, complete onboarding and application requirements, and pass a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Undergo urinalysis screening for illegal drug use if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Meet Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment.
• Complete a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.
• Meet the physical demands of prolonged standing or sitting, lifting and carrying pharmaceutical supplies up to 50 pounds, bending and stooping, and repetitive wrist movements while using syringes, removing vial caps, and typing.
• Observe normal safety precautions and practices for a health care environment.

Responsibilities

• Receive prescriptions from non-VA providers and document them in CPRS.
• Review Community Care Referral and Authorization and CPRS to confirm authorization of non-VA care.
• Assess authorized prescriptions for appropriateness using professional pharmacy knowledge and national and local VA formulary requirements.
• Assist with tracking and shipping non-VA prescribed controlled substances and other non-VA medications mailed from the Consolidated Mail-Out Pharmacy.
• Review Arizona PDMP records to verify prescription appropriateness and medication due dates, prevent duplicate or excessive controlled-substance prescribing, and document findings in CPRS.
• Maintain knowledge of applicable controlled-substance laws, regulations, directives, policies, and procedures.
• Secure controlled substances while filling non-VA care prescriptions and document entries in the computerized controlled-substance perpetual inventory system.
• Monitor medication profiles for potential abuse and notify the Mental Health or Pain Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner when indicated.
• Use pharmacy information systems to respond to patient and provider questions about prescription status, completion dates, and package tracking.
• Document telephone conversations in CPRS and serve as a resource to pharmacy, medical center, and CBOC personnel on non-VA care prescriptions.
• Select appropriate drug therapy based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles; monitor efficacy, side effects, and clinical outcomes; and advise prescribers as appropriate.
• Provide patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicate findings or recommendations orally and in writing to relevant health care providers.
• Evaluate laboratory data and drug-drug and drug-nutrient interactions, monitor for adverse drug effects, and screen for allergies.
• Perform medication reconciliation at transitions of care and update medication profiles to reflect accurate active VA and non-VA medication lists.
• Report adverse drug events, near misses, and medication errors in accordance with the VA ADERS reporting program.
• Educate health care providers about medication use and instruct patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family, with specific eligibility depending on position type.
• Eligible selected applicants may request credit for prior work or military service toward annual leave accrual; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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