Pharmacist - Inpatient Operations Supervisor-Temporary Promotion/Detail (Not to Exceed 120 days)

Veterans Health Administration • Tucson, AZ

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pharmacy Supervisor manages and coordinates operational activities in the inpatient pharmacy to ensure timely, safe, effective, and cost-effective pharmacy services. The position oversees inpatient medication order and discharge prescription processing and dispensing when appropriate, as well as pharmacy services across medical center areas.

This is a temporary promotion/detail not to exceed 120 days. The supervisor manages inpatient pharmacy resources, budgets, personnel, procurement, inventory, drug distribution, pharmacy automation, and operational programs. The role ensures compliance with applicable USP standards, medical center policies, professional standards, and state and federal regulations, including requirements for sterile compounding, hazardous compounds, controlled substances, security, confidentiality, and investigational drugs.

The position supervises inpatient pharmacists, technicians, and the inpatient pharmacy technician supervisor; oversees staff training, performance, competency, development, and mandatory certifications; and supports trainees, including residents, students, and volunteers. The supervisor also advances quality improvement and patient safety, supports pharmaceutical care and medication counseling, maintains clinical expertise, and serves as a preceptor for Doctor of Pharmacy students and residents.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. 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's degree in pharmacy and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, or provide the required FPGEC certification for a foreign pharmacy degree.
• Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; maintain current registration if required for licensure.
• Demonstrate proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For the GS-13 Pharmacy Supervisor grade, have at least one year of experience at the next lower grade level and meet the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Demonstrate ability to effectively supervise subordinate staff.
• Demonstrate ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Have expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards pertaining to pharmacy.
• Demonstrate skill in managing people or programs.
• Meet the stated next-lower-grade experience or ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. pathway and associated KSAs, including knowledge of professional pharmacy practice; communication with patients and health care staff; knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards for drug distribution, control, and pharmacy security; and skill in monitoring drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and diagnostic parameters.
• Be a U.S. citizen, except where non-citizen appointment is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Meet applicable pre-employment requirements, including background/security investigation, pre-employment physical examination, and drug testing if selected for a testing-designated position.
• Complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification and required application documents.
• Register with Selective Service if male and born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for VA Health Care Personnel.

Responsibilities

• Advise and support Pharmacy Leadership in planning inpatient pharmacy resource needs.
• Submit projects, reports, suspense items, standard operating procedures, and medical center policies.
• Control and utilize inpatient pharmacy resources and operate programs within allocated budgets and personnel ceilings.
• Ensure safe preparation and delivery of compounded sterile products, unit-dose and bulk medications, and hazardous compounds in accordance with USP 797 and USP 800.
• Ensure drug control, accountability, and security comply with medical center and Pharmacy Service policies, procedures, and applicable professional, state, and federal regulations.
• Ensure employees comply with computer security, physical security, controlled-substance security, and patient-information confidentiality policies.
• Contribute to quality improvement plans for monitoring outcomes of direct patient care activities.
• Ensure effective inpatient pharmacy operations and timely, safe, efficient, and cost-effective drug therapy delivery with minimum risk or adverse effects to Veterans.
• Maintain safe, timely, efficient, and cost-effective drug distribution and inventory management systems.
• Lead and oversee the procurement process and pharmacy automation.
• Develop and maintain written policies and procedures for safe dispensing of drugs and biologicals and for pharmacy operational requirements.
• Supervise the inpatient pharmacy technician supervisor, inpatient pharmacists, and technicians.
• Oversee training and practice of trainees, including residents, students, and volunteers.
• Appraise employee performance, assess competency, provide staff development, and identify continuing education needs.
• Recruit and select qualified staff to supervise cross-functional teams within the medical facility.
• Supervise implementation of operational, educational, and research service-level programs.
• Ensure inpatient pharmacy personnel complete required training and maintain certifications.
• Develop goals, position descriptions, functional statements, and performance standards for directly supervised employees.
• Interview candidates, conduct performance reviews, and recommend appointments, special advances, within-grade increases, or disciplinary action.
• Promote patient-focused, team-based, multidisciplinary pharmaceutical care, including medication prescribing, monitoring, and drug laboratory review.
• Develop and maintain systems that help pharmacists identify actual or potential drug-related problems early, reduce duplicated work and medication errors, and improve patient satisfaction.
• Ensure pharmacists counsel patients and verify understanding of medication use, expected outcomes, and refills.
• Provide pharmaceutical care support services as required, including drug distribution, drug information, database management, and intervention documentation.
• Ensure staff understand how to report actual or potential medication errors and adverse events, and participate in patient-safety quality improvement initiatives.
• Maintain clinical expertise in pharmaceutical care, particularly inpatient pharmacy practice.
• Precept Doctor of Pharmacy students and residents in administrative and clinical learning experiences.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures for handling, storage, record keeping, and dispensing of investigational drugs, and advise inpatient staff on research activities involving investigational drugs.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific eligibility depends on position type.
• Eligible selected applicants may request credit for prior federal or military service toward annual leave accrual, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

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