Pharmacist(Clinical Spec)- Pain Management/Pain/SUD

Veterans Health Administration • Chico, CA

3d

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) is an advanced practice provider who independently delivers comprehensive medication management for patients with pain, with or without substance use disorders (SUD). The specialist designs and monitors therapeutic plans, prescribes and adjusts medications, performs assessments, orders tests, and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient function and safety.

The role includes direct and indirect patient care, education, and program management. Direct care includes comprehensive medication management for chronic pain, medication prescribing and monitoring, focused assessments, medication reconciliation, laboratory ordering and interpretation, pain and functional-status rating scales, prescription monitoring program review, SUD screening and brief interventions, overdose education, naloxone prescribing when indicated, suicide-risk assessments, care coordination, referrals, and follow-up through in-person, telehealth, eConsult, telephone, and secure messaging. The specialist also manages comorbidities within scope and supports screening and education for medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD).

Indirect care includes reviewing medication regimens for safety and effectiveness, monitoring adverse drug events, identifying high-risk patients, interpreting laboratory results and adjusting therapy, contributing to complex-care discussions, supporting medication-use evaluations and safety initiatives, and completing timely documentation. The specialist provides education to staff, patients, families, and caregivers; serves as a subject matter expert; may serve as a clinical instructor or preceptor; and contributes to pharmaceutical quality improvement, regulatory compliance, performance metrics, Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee activities, and interdepartmental collaboration.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is ad hoc only; the position is not virtual. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to program eligibility and approval. The full performance level and actual grade for the vacancy are GS-13.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• A baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) from an ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy, or qualifying foreign pharmacy education with FPGEC certification, including the required examinations.
• A full, current, and unrestricted pharmacist license in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; required registration must be maintained where applicable.
• For GS-13: one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level or completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program, in addition to GS-12 requirements.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for the program area.
• Ability to solve problems, coordinate, and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in the program area or clinical specialty.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or pharmacy specialty.
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing drug-therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination and required background/security investigation; selected applicants are subject to urinalysis screening and must complete onboarding requirements.
• Must meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the stated continuation-of-employment determination.
• Must submit an EDRP application within four months of appointment to be considered for the program; eligibility and award are determined by the program office. Former EDRP participants are ineligible.

Nice To Haves

• PGY-1 residency and completion of a PGY-2 residency in Pain Management, or equivalent training.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced comprehensive medication management for patients with chronic pain, with or without substance use disorders.
• Prescribe, adjust, and monitor medications; perform focused assessments and medication reconciliation.
• Order, monitor, and interpret laboratory tests, including urine drug screens, and follow up on treatment actions supported by results.
• Assess and document pain control, symptoms, and functional status using rating scales.
• Query and document Prescription Drug Monitoring Program findings.
• Screen for substance use disorders, provide brief interventions and overdose education, address aberrant behaviors, and prescribe naloxone when indicated.
• Perform suicide-risk assessments.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary teams and refer patients for higher-level, specialty, or other needed services.
• Manage comorbidities within scope and support medication for opioid use disorder screening and education.
• Provide follow-up care through face-to-face visits, telehealth, eConsult, telephone, secure messaging, and other modalities.
• Review medication regimens for safety, effectiveness, interactions, contraindications, and optimization; provide recommendations.
• Monitor and report adverse drug events and identify high-risk patients using population-health tools.
• Interpret laboratory results, adjust therapy, and contribute expert input to complex-care discussions.
• Support medication-use evaluations, safety initiatives, and compliance with OSI and other programs.
• Complete timely and accurate documentation.
• Provide formal and informal education and in-services to pharmacy, medical, nursing, and other staff.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in pain management and SUD for assigned committees, workgroups, or interdisciplinary teams.
• Educate patients, families, and caregivers about medications, patient responsibilities, and health promotion.
• Participate in self-development to maintain and strengthen professional competence in pain management and SUD.
• Serve as a clinical instructor or preceptor for pharmacy students and/or residents, and assist with new-employee orientation education as needed.
• Contribute to safe and effective pharmaceutical use through criteria development, data collection, drug-use evaluation, and quality-improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Contribute to performance-metric improvement and Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee activities.
• Maintain productive interdepartmental relationships through committee membership, proactive problem resolution, and collaboration with other services.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), with an award amount of up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years, subject to eligibility and program approval.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits eligibility depends on position type and applicable rules.
• Potential annual-leave accrual credit based on prior federal work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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