Clinical Pharmacist

Major Duties

• Uses the electronic health record (EHR) to review patient medication regimens to ascertain clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, cost effective and therapeutic outcomes as required. Recommends change in therapy to prescribing provider when appropriate.
• Counsels patients on drug use, interactions, adverse effects, availability, and pharmacy procedure.
• Provides drug information, using reference materials, to providers, nurses, other health care professionals, and patients.
• Contacts providers and other health care providers as necessary to resolve problems related to outpatient prescriptions.
• Provides authoritative, professional guidance on pharmaceutical problems of difficult, complex, and unusual nature.
• Completes VA ADERS as assigned
• Documents clinical interventions
• Performs Community Living Center chart reviews
• Performs anticoagulation services as appropriate
• Completes non-formulary and restricted medications consults
• Performs renal function assessments
• Solves problems related to medication dispensing including but not limited to:
  • Medication procurement
  • Retrival of pertinent records
  • Assessment of need for patient medication monitoring or follow-up
  • Tracking of mailed medications through Vista, ScriptPro and CMOP data
  • Coeordinating/expediting medication dispensing or delivery
• Provides medication to traveling veterans as outlined in local and national policy.
• Updates electronic patient record as required.
• Operates specialized equipment used in drug preparation and dispensing.
• Receives, reviews, and interprets prescriptions and medication orders for appropriateness, correct dosage, completeness, drug interactions, drug availability and patient eligibility. Applies working knowledge of correct dosing, toxicity, therapeutic action, contraindications, and adverse reactions.
• Compounds and dispenses medications, weighing, measuring, or mixing ingredients as required, using appropriate techniques.

Education

• 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.
• 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.

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements:
• Education: 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
• 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.