Clinical Pharmacist (Inpatient)

Quick Facts

Inpatient Clinical Pharmacist role providing comprehensive pharmaceutical care for hospitalized patients.

Description

The clinical pharmacist delivers pharmacy services in accordance with federal law, VA policy, and recognized standards of practice. Responsibilities include selecting and monitoring drug therapy, performing medication reconciliation, advising prescribers, and documenting clinical interventions in the electronic medical record. The role also includes verifying and dispensing medication orders while complying with USP, DEA, and Joint Commission requirements.

Responsibilities

• Select and monitor drug therapy using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles
• Evaluate medication orders for appropriateness, therapeutic duplication, and drug-drug/drug-disease interactions
• Provide medication counseling to patients, families, and caregivers
• Perform medication reconciliation during transitions of care
• Participate in interdisciplinary rounds with evidence-based recommendations
• Monitor and document patient response using lab results and clinical parameters
• Provide pharmacokinetic consultations (e.g., antimicrobials and anticoagulants requiring therapeutic drug monitoring)
• Recommend regimens aligned with VA formulary criteria and antimicrobial stewardship initiatives
• Document interventions and recommendations in the electronic medical record
• Participate in quality assurance, medication use evaluations, and performance improvement
• Report adverse drug events, near misses, and medication errors
• Oversee pharmacy technicians and support pharmacy training programs
• Review, verify, compound, dispense, and fill a range of medications (including extemporaneous preparations and narcotics)
• Comply with USP 797, DEA, and Joint Commission guidelines
• Support inventory control and automated dispensing equipment operations

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship
• Proficiency in written and spoken English
• Full, current, unrestricted pharmacist license (or meet VA Graduate Pharmacist temporary pathway requirements)
• Pharmacy education: ACPE-accredited BS Pharmacy or Pharm.D., or foreign equivalent with FPGEC/FPGEE/TOEFL iBT certification
• Background/security investigation and pre-employment physical evaluation
• Complete VA onboarding and required testing/eligibility steps where applicable
• Seasonal influenza vaccination requirement
• Serve a 1–2 year trial period with continued employment certification

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases (grade-based)
• Paid time off: 37–50 days annual leave/sick leave and federal holidays
• Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave after 12 months
• Childcare subsidy eligibility after 60 days for qualifying income levels
• Retirement: federal pension and 401K with up to 5% contributions
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care insurance benefits
• No telework (in-person/virtual not available)