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Summary The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their individual scope of practice to directly care for patients. A CPS functions as a member of their assigned team(s) and serves as a mid-level provider to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. Responsibilities Major duties include, but are not limited to: Functions independently as an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) as part of a multidisciplinary team(s) utilizing the highest level of clinical privileges under a scope of practice to provide comprehensive mental health and medical disease state management to improve patient outcomes. Initiating, modifying, or discontinuing medication therapy, ordering and administering immunizations, ordering labs and other tests to help determine medication efficacy or toxicity and design, implement assess, monitor and document therapeutic plans utilizing best evidence-based medicine and/or VHA and other published clinical guidelines. Evaluates the risk versus benefit of various therapeutic alternatives, develops a therapeutic plan utilizing the most efficacious, least toxic and most economical pharmacological treatment modalities available, and communicates these plans to the patients' physician. Serves as an authoritative information source on medications, their pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and utilization in therapy to interface with providers, including physicians, PAs, APNs in the design of the Veteran's treatment regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy during team huddles or by consultation (e.g. "curbside" consults, E-consults, etc.). Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary, prior authorization, and restricted medications for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable. Interviews each patient conducting a medication history and formulating a pharmaceutical care plan. Monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures. Participates in the training and in-servicing of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and other staff on assigned teams. Serves as preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents in accordance with established policies. Assists in new employee orientation, competency assessments, and mentoring as required. Coordinate and manage clinical pharmacy activities to ensure they have a positive impact on the quality and appropriateness of drug usage, from a cost and patient outcome perspective. This includes management of a clinical practice within area of expertise including reviewing and timely completion of consults, providing patient care, and assuring coverage of clinical services. Participates in professional practice evaluations (PPE) of peers as assigned by Chief, Pharmacy Service or designee. Serves as a consultant and active participant in the medication use evaluation process. Organization and implementation of data collection methods for clinical pharmacy projects and interventions, including pharmacoeconomic reports. Coordination of data collection will result in preparation of reports identifying the impact and future direction of implemented projects. Service as member on local P&T Committee and VISN 7 Pharmacy Benefits Management Committee as assigned. Develops and establishes policies and procedures defining operational and clinical activities and processes. Ensures assigned administrative projects and reports are submitted in a timely fashion. Assists in assuring that the clinic program is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements (i.e., OIG, JACHO, FDA, ASHP, etc.) especially focusing on audits for Medication Management Sections. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. (1) 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/. (2) 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). Licensure. 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. Grade Determinations: GS-13 In addition to the basic requirements for employment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated KSAs. The KSAs shown below apply to all assignments at this 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. Preferred Experience: Geriatric pharmacy experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: See Handbook 5019 Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.