Clinical Pharmacist

Veterans Health Administration • Iron Mountain, MI

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacist position is at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, Michigan. The pharmacist ensures the safe and appropriate use of medications by evaluating drug therapy in light of patient-specific factors, individualizing therapy, dispensing medications, and providing drug information. The role includes clinical practice, dispensing, and administrative duties, with a full-performance level of GS-12 and selection possible at GS-11 or GS-12.

Clinical practice includes selecting medication therapy using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles; monitoring efficacy, side effects, and outcomes; reviewing charts, laboratory data, allergies, and other information when processing prescriptions; documenting interventions; and advising clinicians, nursing staff, and patients on medication-related questions. The pharmacist also prepares IV medications, chemotherapy, and hyperalimentation aseptically; processes community care prescriptions; and supports admission and discharge medication reconciliation, education, and dispensing.

Dispensing duties include reviewing medication profiles and orders, checking interactions and dosage, determining quantities and days’ supply, ensuring prescription directions are correct and understandable, providing written drug information, updating medication and allergy lists, and counseling patients. The pharmacist inspects technicians’ work, optimizes workflow, and maintains prescription records.

Administrative duties include identifying and resolving medication-related problems, making recommendations to the Chief of Pharmacy Service regarding budget, procurement, and policy, recording pharmacy stock needs, collaborating with procurement, accounting for controlled substances, and assisting with special assignments, reports, projects, and operational problem solving.

The position has rotating shifts that include nights, weekends, and holidays. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to its eligibility and application requirements.

Requirements

• Graduate from an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited college or school of pharmacy with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and/or Doctor of Pharmacy degree; foreign pharmacy graduates must provide the specified FPGEC certification.
• Hold a full, current, and unrestricted pharmacist license in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia, subject to stated exceptions for certain entry-level temporary appointments.
• Be proficient in written and spoken English.
• For GS-12: have one year of experience at or equivalent to GS-11, or completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.
• For GS-12, demonstrate knowledge of professional pharmacy practice; oral and written communication with patients and health care staff; laws, regulations, and accreditation standards concerning distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security; and skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic parameters.
• Be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Pass applicable pre-employment screening and requirements, including drug testing for testing-designated positions, a background/security investigation, a pre-employment physical examination, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Meet the stated physical requirements; work may involve potential exposure to communicable diseases and hazardous or toxic drugs and chemicals, requiring safety precautions.
• Complete the online onboarding process and required application documentation.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period as a condition of employment.

Responsibilities

• Select appropriate drug therapy using pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; monitor efficacy, side effects, and clinical outcomes.
• Review patient charts, laboratory data, allergies, and other relevant information when processing prescription orders.
• Document interventions with providers in patient charts.
• Provide physicians, nursing staff, and patients with medication information, including storage, stability, dosing, interactions, and other medication inquiries.
• Provide professional guidance on complex and unusual pharmaceutical problems, as well as routine dispensing services.
• Aseptically prepare IV medications, chemotherapy, and hyperalimentation using laminar flow hoods and biological safety cabinets in accordance with medical center policies.
• Process community care prescriptions (CCNRX).
• Coordinate medication reconciliation, patient education, and dispensing during facility admission and discharge processes with providers and the inpatient health care team.
• Review active and pending medication orders and profiles for interactions, quantity, days’ supply, dosage, and accurate, understandable directions.
• Provide written medication education from the national drug database system and required medication guides for designated drugs.
• Provide patients with updated medication lists, verify allergy information, and update non-VA medication lists based on patient reports.
• Counsel patients on medication indications, directions, techniques, precautions, side effects, storage, interactions, and missed doses.
• Inspect assigned technicians’ work and ensure workflow is optimized.
• Complete and maintain written records of prescriptions filled for pharmacy files.
• Identify, prevent, and resolve drug-related problems and notify the supervisor.
• Recommend budget, procurement, and policy matters to the Chief of Pharmacy Service.
• Review and record pharmacy stock needs and collaborate with pharmacy procurement.
• Issue and account for controlled substances according to medical center policy and VHA directives.
• Assist with special assignments, reports, projects, and pharmacy operational problem solving.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program, with awards up to $200,000 subject to program approval and eligibility.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level