Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

United States Department of Veterans Affairs•Fayetteville, AR

21d•Onsite

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice - top of licensure - and serves as a mid-level provider - working independently with prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's practice area-based scope of practice. The CPS provider delivers evidence-based comprehensive medication management (CMM) through direct patient care and as part of the interdisciplinary team providing Oncology/hematology (referred to as oncology in document) care.

Requirements

Citizen of the United States (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3g - this part.)
Graduate of 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
Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education - 20 North Clark Street - Suite 2500 - Chicago - Illinois 60602-5109 phone: (312) 664-3575 - or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/
Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification - which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet Based Test (TOEFL iBT)
Full - current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State - Territory - Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. - Puerto Rico) - or the District of Columbia
The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full - current - and unrestricted licensure
A pharmacist who has - or has ever had - any license(s) revoked - suspended - denied - restricted - limited - or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - section B - paragraph 16
GS 13 Experience In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions
Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area
Ability to solve problems - coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise
Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy
Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies - including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters

Nice To Haves

PGY2 residency or Clinical Pharmacist in Oncology experience of 1 year

Responsibilities

Prescribes - monitors and adjusts medications related to the treatment of cancer and supportive care as scope allows
Reviews and recommends anticancer therapy adjustments based on lab and toxicity assessments
Obtains pertinent medical history and obtains accurate anticancer medication related history from patient and via chart review
Orders - monitors - and interprets needed labs implements follow-up on treatment actions as supported by lab interpretations
Orders imaging as directed by clinical plan and as scope allows communicates results with appropriate provider
Order and interpret precision medicine testing (pharmacogenomic - somatic - germline) as scope allows or per facility needs
Provides patient and/or caregiver instructions and education
Uses available population health tools (high risk drug dashboard) to identify and monitor patients receiving oral anticancer therapies
Ensures referral of complex or unstable patients to higher level care - when needed
Address other care needs and refers patients to other services for other needed care - as deemed appropriate (e.g. - mental health - PACT - physical therapy - yoga - etc.)
Performs limited external physical assessment in alignment with established policies or procedures
Performs medication reconciliation in alignment with established policies or procedures
In addition to oncology and supportive care management - provides CMM for complex patients with chronic diseases exacerbated by oncology therapy including - but not limited to hypertension - bone health - pain - anemia and makes needed referrals
May also treat other co-morbid conditions (in alignment with scope of practice)
Determines if a referral to a physician is necessary when disease progression occurs - or adverse drug events require a higher level of treatment intervention
Accepts urgent or same day patient visits including - but not limited to - patient medication review for polypharmacy - recent hospital or emergency department discharges - and co-managed care patients
Follows up via face-to-face - telehealth - eConsult - telephone - secure messaging and other modalities to provide patient care
Communicates with team for next steps and coordination of care - when necessary
Participate in multidisciplinary tumor boards and provide input as necessary
Research and respond to drug information questions
Liaise with the dispensing pharmacist and infusion nursing staff regarding safe medication dispensing and administration
Documents clinical interventions and patient care encounters in the electronic health record in a timely and professional manner as appropriate
Provides formal and informal education and in-services to pharmacy - medical - nursing and other staff as requested
Provides education to patients - their families and caregivers about medications - patient responsibilities - and information on health promotion
Serves as the pharmacist subject matter expert on assigned oncology related committees and subcommittees
Participates in design and/or completion of research studies and/or quality improvement projects involving drug therapy - clinical pharmacy functions - or improvements in patient care