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At Western Colorado Health Care System (WCHCS) the incumbents' primary functions involve the timely and accurate preparation and dispensing of medications to both inpatients and outpatients, using professional judgment for appropriate dosing and therapeutic regimes. The role rotates through various Pharmacy Service areas (Outpatient, Inpatient IV Admixture and Unit Dose, Clinical) with the main goal of ensuring appropriate, safe, and cost-effective drug therapy for patients.
06/16/2025 to 07/01/2025
$137,986 - $190,161 per year
GS 11 - 12
1 vacancy in the following location:
No
No
Not required
No
Permanent
Part-time - 20 Hours
Excepted
12
No
Yes
CBSU-12751281-25-AGL
838905400
All U.S. Citizens ***If you are a current, permanent federal employee please apply to our internal announcement: CBSU-12751282-25-AGL***
Inpatient
a. Evaluates physician orders and patient treatment for appropriateness of therapy, patients response to therapy, adverse drug effects, pertinent laboratory monitoring, polypharmacy, cost
containment issues and prescribing compliance with established protocols and criteria.
b. Identified problems are communicated to patients physician
c. Verifies and processes inpatient unit dose medication orders in the VISTA Inpatient Medication
package accurately.
d. Ensures inpatients medications are labeled appropriately (i.e.: inhalers).
e. Processes and interprets IV orders and enters them into VISTA IV Admixture package.
f. Ensures IV medications (IV admixtures, IV piggybacks, TPN, etc.) are prepared accurately
using aseptic technique. Checks IVs prepared by Pharmacy Technicians or prepares accurately
using aseptic technique.
g. Provides medications to wards via Omnicell.
h. Enters controlled substances dispensed or returned accurately and timely into the VISTA
i. Controlled Substances package and Omnicell.
j. Oversees inpatient Pharmacy Technicians in all aspects of Unit Dose and/or IV Admixture
areas.
k. Accurately checks all manually prepackaged medications using Prepackage Logbook, and
checks automated packaging steps appropriately.
l. Responds to Pharmacokinetic Consult and appropriately orders labs and antibiotics.
m. Appropriately follows up on labs and follows protocol.
2. Outpatient
a. Interprets new outpatient prescriptions and enters them into the VISTA Outpatient Pharmacy package appropriately, using professional judgment and VA guidelines.
b. Processes prescription refill requests via the VISTA Outpatient Pharmacy package appropriately
c. Evaluates physician orders and patient treatment for appropriateness of therapy, patient's response to therapy, adverse drug effects, pertinent laboratory monitoring, polypharmcy, cost containment issues and prescribing compliance with established protocols. Identified problems are communicated to the patient's physician. response to therapy, adverse drug effects, pertinent laboratory monitoring, polypharmacy, cost containment issues and prescribing compliance with established protocols. Identified problems
d. Fills prescriptions timely, accurately, and appropriately using ScriptPro.
e. Checks prescriptions filled by Pharmacy Technicians using ScriptPro.
f. Dispenses prescriptions using ScriptPro, including asking patient to show Veteran ID Card (VIC). If no VIC, patient must have 2 other forms of identification (complete name and social security number).
g. Oversees Pharmacy Technicians when filling, mailing and/or dispensing prescriptions, and compounding products.
3. Clinical
a. Renews outpatient prescriptions when appropriate in CPRS.
b. Upon request, evaluates restricted and non-formulary requests, and applies national and local guidelines to arrive at an informed decision to approve or disapprove. Follows through with physician regarding appropriate Formulary alternatives and dosages.
c. Consults with patients regarding how to take new medication appropriately, side effects and precautions.
d. Provides written drug information.
e. Consults with nurses concerning drug dosage, availability, and order changes.
f. Provides medication information to nurses, physicians, and other health personnels.
g. Provides inhaler patient information upon consult request. Enters CPRS note upon consult completion.
h. Upon request, provides direct patient care activities via a variety of pharmacist run clinics (examples include anticoagulation clinic and new patient pharmacy consults).
4. General
a. Is responsible for controlled substance accountability.
b. Upon request, represents Pharmacy Service at various committee meetings.
c. Upon request, is responsible for various Pharmacy related projects.
d. Provides the highest level of professional and ethical behavior.
Work Schedule: Weekdays, Weekends, Holidays, Rotating Shifts as determined by Service Needs.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 53079A/53080A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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/.
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.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
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It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
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To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/01/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12751281.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
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NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/838905400. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.