The Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner to the Jesse Brown VA Emergency Department. The CPP is responsible for providing pharmacotherapeutics services that include advising the ED medical services on matters pertaining to drug therapy; direct patient care services; participating in education and training programs for pharmacy staff, pharmacy residents, pharmacy students, patient care services, and medical staff. Clinical pharmacy services will be provided daily, including weekends and holidays. 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: Citizenship. 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.) English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 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/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) OR, (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: Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy. AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the requirements above, Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. 2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. 3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. 4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. 5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency and PGY2, Emergency Management Pharmacy Residency preferred References: June 7, 2012 VA HANDBOOK 5005/55 PART II APPENDIX G15 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: There may be some walking, standing, sitting, bending, and carrying of light items. ["GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: The CPP is responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical care through direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers in the ED. Emergency Medicine CPPs are highly-trained medication management experts and consultants in highly complex, clinical scenarios, collaborating with healthcare providers to ensure safe, appropriate, and cost-effective use of medications in the (ED). The CPP serves as a provider with prescriptive authority as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice. The CPP has full responsibility to develop and manage necessary pharmacy programs and services such as medication histories, acute and chronic disease state management, patient therapeutic drug monitoring, patient and staff education; and comprehensive medication management (CMM) within the emergency department setting. As the medication expert, the CPP is a champion for ED quality improvement (QI) efforts involving medication safety initiatives. The CPP promotes and manages drug therapy based on current clinical knowledge that is consistent with policies established at the national, VISN, and local levels. Emergency Medicine CPPs are employees of their medical center's Pharmacy Service, to ensure they receive all professional guidance, policy and communications, along with department missions and goals, especially regarding the VA National Formulary, VISN and local medical center Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee objectives for formulary management activities and patient safety. The CPP serves as an active participant in the development and delivery of education and training programs to pharmacy staff, pharmacy residents, pharmacy students, and medical staff. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: CLINICAL Collaborates with ED providers to develop, implement, and maintain systems that promote desirable clinical outcomes through use of safe, cost-effective drug therapies. Reviews and evaluates medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes. The CPP will document and communicate findings in the electronic health record. Utilizes motivational interview skills with patient, family, caregiver and other healthcare professionals to collect patient-specific data, conduct medication history taking to identify problems and individualize care to complement patient's medication therapy history, formulate a pharmaceutical care plan, and identify additional data needed for medication review assessment and medication reconciliation as part of component provider duties. Designs pharmaceutical care plans if needed and documents interventions performed in electronic health record, allowing for seamless transitions of care and effective communication within the patient's healthcare team. Makes dose adjustments and recommendations based on objective laboratory findings, expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. MEDICATION DISPENSING AND DISTRIBUTION: Performs ED/outpatient electronic order assessment to verify patient information, correct medication dose, route, frequency, and duration of administration. Orders are also reviewed for allergies, drug interactions, incompatibilities, duplication, and appropriateness of drug choice. Identifies, interprets, and resolves prescribing and dispensing issues; provides pharmacotherapeutic analyses. Interventions documented when appropriate. Dispenses controlled substances for ED and outpatients with accuracy, per current policies and procedures of the institution. Ensures compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations. Assists in coordinating activities of pharmacy technicians and/or volunteers engaged in the preparation, labeling, dispensing, compounding, and delivery of medications and/or pharmaceutical supplies in accordance with physician orders to provide efficiency to those requiring acute care in the ED. Maintains a liaison relationship with medical and nursing staff by providing timely information pertaining to pharmaceutical supplies, medication usage, and compatibility information. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Schedule varies; Compressed Schedule 7 on / 7 off to include weekends and holidays. Tour of duty duration may range between 10-12 hours/day beginning mid-day and spanning into evening/night-time hours. Tour of duty is subject to change based on needs of agency. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
