Career Center

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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
• English Language Proficiency
• Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d)
• 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
• (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program
• Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy)
• [TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION] 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)
• [YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF FPGEE AND TOEFL WITH YOUR APPLICATION] 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
• [YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE]
• Creditable Experience
• Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices
• To be creditable - the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge - skills - and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice
• Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board
• Residency and Fellowship Training
• Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for-year basis
• The 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)
• Quality of Experience
• Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level
• Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination
• Part-time Experience
• Part-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek
• For 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: Pharmacy Supervisor - GS-13 (a) Experience
• In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must meet one of the following: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS12) (b) Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge - skills and abilities (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: The candidate should have strong inpatient and outpatient pharmacy knowledge and be familiar with pharmacy operations and processes as well as have proven experience in developing - implementing - and assessing programs and/or projects for pharmacy
• The candidate must be familiar with pharmacy operations (dispensing and clinical) - including pharmacy automation - medication safety - quality assurance measures - and performance improvement activities
• The ideal candidate should have at least one year of pharmacy supervisor experience in an inpatient/long-term care and outpatient setting
• 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
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity (depth perception and ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors) - near vision correctable at 13 to 16 - and far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other and keen hearing
• This position requires potentially long periods standing (6 hours)
• The incumbent may be required to do light lifting and carrying of up to 15 pounds
• reaching above shoulders
• Both hands and legs are required along with the use of all fingers
• hearing (aid permitted)
• repetitive computer use.

Duties

• VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws VA Palo Alto HCS has an immediate opening for a Supervisory Pharmacist at the Menlo Park campus
• This Pharmacist works full-time - Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm to lead our Menlo Park Pharmacy operation (open Monday through Friday and Holidays 8:00am - 4:30 pm)
• This pharmacy provides pharmaceutical care services to our 300-bed subacute care hospital division (Community Living Center (nursing home) - Short stay - Hemodialysis - Geriatric Psychiatry - Hospice - Respite - Residential Rehabilitation Programs and Mental Health Trauma Rehabilitation Program) with centralized operation for Unit Dose and Outpatient Pharmacy dispensing services
• This position is also responsible for supervisory oversight of the Livermore Community Living Center Pharmacist
• We have a fully integrated computer system including online provider order entry - documentation of medication administration using barcode technology - and automation of the unit dose distribution system
• The incumbent will have direct supervisory responsibilities of 7 Pharmacists and 6 Pharmacy Technicians
• Specific responsibilities include - but are not limited to: Providing leadership and oversight of daily operations of the dispensing and clinical pharmacy services at the Menlo Park Division by utilizing principles of a High Reliability Organization (including effective lean management tools)
• Managing operational and programmatic issues in a timely manner and assure compliance with all applicable laws - VHA regulations - Joint Commission standards - as well as VAPAHCS and Pharmacy Service policies and procedures
• Participating in customer surveys/voice of the customer and implementing action plan to improve services provided
• Ensuring accountability among staff in meeting performance standards by establishing and monitoring results-oriented performance measures and addressing deficits in a timely manner
• Providing staff development through coaching - mentoring and supporting opportunities for learning and having direct responsibility for the compliance and success of the Menlo Park Controlled Substance program
• Fostering strong working relationships within and outside the Menlo Park pharmacy section and developing/maintaining collaborative working relationships with services outside of pharmacy
• Meeting section and service performance measures/key performance indicators and actively engaging in continuous process improvement of the Menlo Park Pharmacy
• Investigating medication error events and working with employees to implement system changes to prevent future errors
• Interviewing - selecting - orienting new staff successfully
• and ensuring all staff complete their required annual trainings
• Actively participating in service - facility - and VISN committee meetings
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact V21CCOEEDRP@VA.GOV - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized