The Syracuse VAMC is recruiting for one evening Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist to work within the inpatient practice setting to promote the optimal use of medications in view of patient disease state(s) and clinical response. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist supports the general operations of Pharmacy including non-formulary review, prescription/order processing, outpatient dispensing where required and patient consultation.
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/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) (2) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the 2 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. NOTE: 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 employment. This 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 certification. 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-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1. 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs): 1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice. 2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff. 3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security. 4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: Inpatient Pharmacy Experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019. Physical Demands: The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist may be required to sustain extended periods of stretching, standing, sitting and reaching in the course of his/her employment. This occasionally involves lifting moderately heavy items. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist must possess average agility and dexterity, and must be able to work adjusted schedules and rotating shifts as assigned. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. The potential exists for exposure to infectious patients/materials and exposure to hazardous and/or toxic substances (chemotherapy, solvents, grease, oils, cleaning solutions, etc.) The potential exists for injuries from sharps (hypodermic needles, other sharp items).
Major Duties to include but not limited to: Distributive 1. Interprets medication orders (verbal & written) and transcribes to computerized patient medication orders accurately and according to established policies, procedures and protocols. Maintains accurate, complete medication profile. Maintains records as required by law Has the ultimate responsibility in facilitating the delivery of the correct drug in the correct dosage to the correct patient. 2. Evaluate drug therapy regimens for contraindications, drug-drug interactions, drug-food interactions, allergies and appropriateness of drug and dose within the context of the individual patients' medical conditions. 3. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist will support the sterile products program which will include TPN and Chemotherapy programs. 4. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist are responsible for resolving a variety of questions posed by physicians, nurses and co-workers related to drugs, pharmacy services and departmental policies and procedures. 5. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacists will be able to interpret various VA, Federal (FDA, DEA), other regulatory agency compliance standards (i.e. Joint Commission, USP 797/ 800, etc.), Facility and Pharmacy Service policies and be able to apply the same to given situations. 6. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist must have the ability to exercise sound judgment in a variety of situations and be able to refer matters of policy making to a supervisor. 7. Contributes to the quality and effective operation of the department Supervises and directs pharmacy support personnel in the absence of a supervisor. Verifies the daily activities of pharmacy technicians. Works independently with minimal supervision. Organizes and prioritizes work assignments. Ensures pharmacy services are provided in a timely and efficient manner. Keeps pharmacy area and equipment clean, neat and well-organized. Able to multi-task i.e. able to continue to process orders and answer questions from technical staff and/or patients (via phone or in-person). 8. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist is required to perform all pharmacy related activities as assigned, including intermittent coverage in the outpatient pharmacy program(s). Clinical 1. Inpatient Clinical Pharmacists are responsible for therapeutic drug monitoring on a daily basis for patients admitted to the hospital according to facility and departmental policy. This includes anticoagulation (heparin, warfarin), pharmacokinetic (aminoglycoside, vancomycin) and antibiotic monitoring programs. 2. Inpatient Clinical Pharmacists will monitor electrolytes for patients on parenteral nutrition and made recommendations for TPN orders based on laboratory values. 3. Provides consultative services to all professional staff regarding drug therapy. 4. The Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist is required to maintain a scope of practice through Credentialing. Education 1. Trains professional staff including pharmacy, nursing, medical staff (including fellows & residents) and students. 2. Participates in the development and implementation of formal and informal drug education / clinical consultation to medical, surgical, nursing, and pharmacy staff in the form of in-services and continuing education programs. 3. Interfaces with other health-care providers and administrators to ensure compliance with established pharmacy and medical center policies and procedures. 4. Maintains competence required for current position including required TMS training, and BLS certification. Administration / Technical Support 1. Participates in Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reporting & medication error reporting. 2. Works with other health care providers to develop programs for improvement of drug use. 3. Develops and conducts drug usage evaluation in areas of needs from a cost and patient outcome perspective. 4. Documents cost reduction / cost avoidance activities on a periodic basis. 5. Supports the hospital formulary and ensures its appropriate utilization by health care providers. 6. Supports an effective quality assurance program for the inpatient pharmacy section that meets the changing service, patient, and/or Medical Center needs. 7. When required, effectively manages and supervises technical support in the areas of clinical responsibilities. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 4:00pm to 12:00am (midnight) with rotating weekends & holidays Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21L65-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized