Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Summary The Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner (CPP) serves as an advanced practice provider with prescriptive authority under an approved Scope of Practice. The primary responsibility is to coordinate and provide comprehensive medication management (CMM) for patients requiring pain management as well as Pain Management Opioid Safety Program (PMOP) administrative duties. 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 PolicyEnglish 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(NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree programToday the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) (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 ColumbiaThe pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full - current - and unrestricted licensureA 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 16NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct - professional incompetence or substandard care - or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct - professional incompetence - or substandard care - are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C.7402(f))Effective November 30 - 1999 - this is a requirement for employmentThis requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date - provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license - registration or certificationCreditable Experience (1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy PracticesTo be creditable - the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge - skills - and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practiceProfessional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board(2) Residency and Fellowship TrainingResidency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for- year basisThe pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP)A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional Standards Board refers to the Deputy Chief Consultant for Professional Practice for the determination)(3) Quality of ExperienceQualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower levelExperience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination(4) Part-time ExperiencePart-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweekFor example - a pharmacist employed 20 hours a week - or on a 1/2-time basis - would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service*May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria)Grade Determinations:GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist: Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have 1-year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade levelClinical Pharmacist Specialist (GS-13): 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 patientsA 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 servicesThis 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 treatmentshelping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients - providers - and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areasperforming physical assessmentsand ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapyIn addition - Pharmacists assigned to this position must also demonstrate the following knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs): Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical management decisionsExpert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program areaAbility to solve problems - coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise Expert knowledge of 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: PGY1/PGY2 preferably within VA or experience in primary care medication management 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-13Physical Requirements: Work requires moderate lifting - walking - bending - stooping - standing - pushing - and pullingAbility to lift/push/pull light loads - carts weighing 40 pounds or moreAbility for rapid mental and muscular coordinationNormal range for hearing and vision. Duties VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws The duties and responsibilities of the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - include but are not limited to the following: Clinical (Pain Management): Provides clinical pharmacy services to patients on opioid therapy through on-site consultation and direct patient managementPossesses knowledge of potential side effects of pain medications and their treatment and management strategiesAssesses the potential for pain medication non-compliance and develops strategies for patients that are non-compliant or exhibiting signs of aberrant behaviorProvides recommendations to pain team provider for tapering - withdrawal - and dosing of pain medicationsPromotes rational pain management strategies utilizing current VA resources and develops pain management policies - when needed6) Provides pharmaceutical services to focus on therapeutic drug monitoringAnalyzes medication regimens to ensure the most effective - least toxic - and most economical treatment planUnderstands and applies the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences in the geriatric populationWorks collaboratively with other clinic providers to provide pharmaceutical care to patients as outlined by best evidence - VANIHCS procedures - and scope of practiceProgram Management: Serves as a core member of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP)Conducts prospective audit and feedback on antimicrobial prescribing for appropriateness - guideline adherence - and opportunities for de-escalationReviews cultures - microbiology results - and antimicrobial use patterns to identify optimization opportunitiesAssists with therapeutic drug monitoring (e.g. - vancomycin - aminoglycosides) and supports diagnostic stewardship effortsContributes ASP data to required local - VISN - and national reporting platformsProvides ASP education to medical staff - trainees - and interdisciplinary teamsSupports development and implementation of facility-specific antimicrobial guidelines and pathwaysEffectively directs drug therapy to conform to the national VA formularyWorks with other health care practitioners to ensure compliance with national - VISN - and local initiativesActs as a liaison between the pain management and antimicrobial stewardship programs and Pharmacy ServiceEducational: Provides academic detailing services consistent with PBM and VHA Academic Detailing Program standardsConducts one-on-one and group outreach sessions to prescribers on evidence based topicsUtilizes audit and feedback data to tailor provider education and practice recommendationsMaintains proficiency in academic detailing communication techniques - educational materials - and PBM messagingParticipates in training - national calls - and continuous quality improvement activities related to Academic DetailingAssists patients on the proper use and care of their medicationsProvides pertinent drug information to physicians and allied health personnel through the use of seminars - formal and informal consultations - conferences - and lectures Administrative: Serves as a voting member of appropriate committees - such as the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee or Pain CommitteeServes on or acts as a consultant to professional committeesSupports facility Pain Management - Opioid Safety - and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMOP) requirements - including monitoring opioid safety dashboards - STORM outreach - naloxone distribution - and opioid risk mitigation strategiesAssists in tracking and validating national PMOP quality metrics and supports performance improvement initiativesCollaborates with PMOP Coordinator - Pain Committee - Primary Care - Behavioral Health - and Pharmacy leadership to standardize opioid safety processesAids in policy development related to safe opioid prescribing - chronic pain management - and controlled substance monitoringSupervisory Controls: The incumbent is accountable to the Chief of Pharmacy Service - or their designee - for professional licensure and competencyHowever - daily activities should require minimal supervision - and problems should be managed independentlyThe incumbent uses initiative in planning and carrying out work requirements according to established scope of practice and care coordination agreement and in alignment with policies and proceduresThe CPS provider's primary responsibilities are to provide care coordination and comprehensive medication management for patients treated within the assigned area(s) Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:30am -4:00pm Eastern Standard Time Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual positionFunctional Statement #: 93117-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized