Career Center

Summary

Serve as the supervisory pharmacist in charge of the Inpatient Pharmacy Section. This includes the responsibility for the professional - technical - and administrative supervision of the distribution - clinical - consultative - teaching - and research functions within the Inpatient Pharmacy Section.

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 Policy
• 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
• English Language Proficiency
• Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
• 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 Pharmacy Supervisor Experience
• In addition to the GS-12 requirements - must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• Assignment
• Pharmacy Supervisor
• Responsible for the professional and administrative management of an assigned area in pharmacy service - to include budgetary execution
• Such individuals have responsibilities for supervising multiple pharmacists and technicians
• Manages people - maintains effective interdepartmental relations - and cooperates with other services to accomplish the medical facility's mission and goals
• Develops performance standards - assures that the program area is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements - designs and implements orientation and training programs for staff - and develops and maintains systems to monitor the performance of staff activities
• Develops policies and procedures relative to their assigned area
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: a
• Ability to effectively supervise subordinate staff
• b
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions
• c
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards pertaining to pharmacy
• d
• Skill in managing people or programs
• Preferred Experience: >3 years supervisory or lead pharmacist experience Knowledge and experience of inpatient pharmacy operations including regulatory standards - USP 797/800 - and pharmacy automation Supervision of at least 10 employees covering multiple shifts Experience working on facility committees Extensive knowledge of VA productivity standards - pharmacy directives - labor mapping - and reports Knowledge and experience with patient safety programs (JC NPSG - JPSR reviews - VADERS - etc.) 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-13
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting - 15-44 pounds
• Moderate carrying - 15-44 pounds
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (8 hours)
• Standing (8 hours)
• Kneeling (1 hour)
• Repeated bending (4 hours)
• Both legs required
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Specific visual requirement (DVA Correctable to 20/40)
• Both eyes required
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Hearing (aid may be permitted)

Duties

• Major duties include - but not limited to: Administrative: (1) Furnishes administrative and technical supervision to GS-12 pharmacists - pharmacy technicians - pharmacy aides - and other supportive personnel assigned to the Inpatient Section
• Schedules workload and integrates the work of the inpatient area with the overall pharmacy program
• Maintains stock control and ensures that drug stocks are on hand in sufficient quantities to meet demand
• (2) Ensures periodic inspection of drug storage areas in all areas of the medical center in accordance with JCAHO and other medical center requirements or directives
• Participates actively in pharmacy quality assurance activities by providing data for Drug Use Evaluations (DUE) and controlling the quality of inpatient pharmacy services
• Performs reviews of inpatient quality functions in accordance with pharmacy quality assurance procedures and submits written status reports
• Takes whatever action is necessary to correct problems as they are identified
• (3) Ensures the timely performance of a satisfactory quantity of work by inpatient pharmacy section personnel
• Responsible for the quality of all work performed within inpatient pharmacy section and/or other work areas assigned to the supervisor
• This includes - but is not limited to - (a) Assuring that trained personnel are in place to manufacture IV's and parenteral nutrition
• (b) Planning - setting - priorities - and scheduling necessary staff for the completion of the work (c) Making assignments based on priorities of work and considering the capabilities of the individual employees (d) Evaluating the performance of assigned personnel (e) Giving advice - counseling - or instructing employees on both administrative and work-related matters (4) The Incumbent is responsible for the completion of the environmental aspect/impact analysis in collaboration with the GEMS Coordinator - for effective implementation of the operational strategies developed through the GEMS program to ensure regulatory compliance - and for improving environmental performance within his (her) service
• Also - shall consider environmentally preferable and recycled products in all purchasing decisions
• Clinical (1) Incumbent supervises and is responsible for providing the proper and timely medications to inpatients
• Assures in an accurate and timely manner that employees involved in medication distribution are properly trained and comply with all applicable regulations
• (2) Incumbent supervises and is responsible for counseling inpatients being discharged from the medical center
• Assures that proper documentation is maintained to comply with JCAHO requirements
• (3) Incumbent supervises the activities of all pharmacists assigned to the central pharmacy inpatient section
• Provides guidance for pharmacists assigned to the inpatient area regarding inpatient medication orders - formulary drugs - and other matters
• (4) Incumbent resolves patient complaints by personally talking with the patient - patient representative - or medical personnel
• Works closely with the staff of state veteran service officers - social workers - and others
• (5) Incumbent maintains a quality assurance program to monitor inpatient pharmacy services
• (6) Incumbent consults with physicians - nurses - and patients on the chemical and physical properties and the physiological - pharmacological - and therapeutic actions of the full range of drugs
• Research and Teaching (1) Participates in research programs requiring the administration of drugs - including providing the drug - information concerning the drug dosage - actions - side effects - etc
• (2) Provides or coordinates in-service programs on drugs and drug therapy to pharmacists and other medical center personnel
• Gives guidance and instruction to pharmacy technicians PATIENT SAFETY: The incumbent will be responsible for promoting a culture of safety and will fully cooperate in efforts to improve patient safety and eradicate potential events including the reporting of events resulting in actual or potential injury to a patient
• Incumbent must demonstrate knowledge of the reporting procedures involving safety issues relating to patients
• Work Schedule: M-F 0800-1630
• weekends/holidays Telework: Adhoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 0000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized