Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Duties

• Directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas
• Core functions include face-to-face, VVC, and telephone encounters with referred patients, for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice
• Able to apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities
• Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate
• Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate
• Performs drug use evaluations on behalf of national, VISN and local medical center initiatives as needed
• Makes drug error, adverse drug reaction, allergy, and patient compliance reports, documents findings per facility procedures
• Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies
• Performs drug conversions and assists with drug shortages when needed
• Participates in professional staff recommendations designed to influence rational and cost-effective drug therapy in Primary Care
• Participates in the training and in-servicing of medical staff, nursing staff, residents, students, and other allied health professionals as required
• Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices; adjusts communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations; accurately assesses and documents patient comprehension; and refers patients to educational programs provided at the medical center by multidisciplinary teams
• Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information

Requirements

• This job is open to current permanent VA Nationwide employees, Federal employees of other Agencies, VHA Health Profession Trainees (HPTs) , and U.S. Citizens

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: 1. 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.) 2. 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.)
• 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.