Summary The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) serves as a licensed professional for the Chronic Pain team at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) with knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice including pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics. Responsibilities The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner has responsibility to develop, organize, and manage the Clinical Pharmacist Specialty Program within the assigned Chronic Pain medication management teams. The CPP has full responsibility to develop necessary services such as physician consultation, patient monitoring, patient counseling and medication management within the Chronic Pain management framework. The CPP is responsible to serve as preceptor for, Doctor of Pharmacy candidates, Post Graduate Year 1 Pharmacy residents and Post Graduate Year 2 Pharmacy residents in pain and mental health. The CPP must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to complete the duties of the position, including the necessary skills to provide care appropriate to the population of the patients served. Primary duties of this position include but are not limited to: Clinical Works independently under a scope of practice, providing medication management for those patients who are seen in the Chronic Pain clinic and inpatient areas. Serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify, or discontinue medications (excluding controlled substances) as clinically indicated in the treatment of chronic pain management and disease states including but not limited to neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia etc. Interviews patients in assigned area, conducting medication history, formulating and implementing pharmaceutical care plan and documenting this information in the patient's electronic record in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Documents a pharmacy education note in the patient's electronic record in CPRS after educating/counseling has taken place. Designs a therapeutic regimen or plan, based on patient-specific information that includes establishing a therapeutic endpoint, electing an appropriate drug and related therapy, and establishing an appropriate dosage regimen. Interfaces with providers, including physicians, physician's assistants (PA), and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners (ARNP) and other healthcare providers in the design of the veteran's treatment regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy. Establishes and expands the patient data base through interpreting the drug history, medical history, physical examination and ongoing patient specific monitoring of therapy, with documentation in the formal patient medical record. Monitors and assesses therapeutic and adverse effects of drug therapy, including drug interactions, through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters. Orders lab tests as indicated for appropriate patient monitoring. Provides consultation on selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens as a follow-up of non-therapeutic drug concentrations obtained from ambulatory care patients. Provides physicians and other providers a focal resource for discussion of medical problems requiring a pharmaceutical intervention. Participates in pain management meetings as assigned. Provides clinical telehealth services (such as VA Video Connect) for appropriate patients. Implements Medication Use Committee policies including therapeutic interchanges and automatic substitutions to include appropriate patient and provider education. Administrative Functions Participates in Medication Use Committee activities when requested. Reviews medication usage in patients receiving pain medications as part of the overall quality assurance program and prepares necessary reports as required. Designs, implements and supervises the chronic pain clinical education and training program for Doctor of Pharmacy candidates and Post Graduate Pharmacy residents. Participates in the medical center Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE). Registers in Electronic Florida Online Reporting of Controlled Substances Evaluation (E-FORCSE) to participate in the Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. May serve as a director or associate director for a post graduate pharmacy residency program based on qualifications. Project Skills Independently designs, and conducts clinical projects within the scope of pharmacy practice. Actively collaborates with other healthcare providers in the design and implementation of protocols and collection of data and participates in the analysis and interpretation of the results Work Schedule: Rotational tours including holidays, weekends, and nights. Monday through Friday Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 40185F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: United States Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education-Transcripts Submitted 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-Documentation Submitted. 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. Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date 6/7/2012 of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, GS-13. Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. Expert knowledge of a 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. Assignments. 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. Preferred Experience: Highly desirable for the candidates to have ASHP Accredited PGY2 Pain Residency, in the process of completing a PGY2 Pain Residency by June 30, 2025 or acquire at least one year of clinical experience in pain 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-12. Physical Requirements: Work is performed in the pharmacy as well as patient care areas where there is potential for exposure to communicable disease. Work areas are adequately heated and ventilated, and normal safety precautions are required. This position operates in a work environment that is subject to frequent, abrupt, and unexpected changes in work assignments due to shifting demands, priorities, and deadlines, which require the employee to constantly adjust operations under the pressure of continuously changing and unpredictable conditions. This position functions in an operation in which work processes and procedures vary constantly because of the impact of changing technology, creating a requirement of extensive training and guidance of the subordinate staff. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.