Clinical Pharmacist

Job Description

The Clinical Pharmacist ensures the safe and effective use of medications by assessing for optimal drug selection, dosing regimen, and drug therapy monitoring services across the health system. The position will evaluate patient specific care plans and resolve medication related issues with the goal of optimizing pharmaceutical care. The Clinical Pharmacist position requires an understanding of the various work functions and activities associated with drug distribution, intravenous admixture services (compounded sterile products), pharmacy automation and the provision of drug information to the Medical, Nursing and Ancillary staffs, and the community in keeping with TJC, Department of Health and Senior Services, DEA/BNDD and Board of Pharmacy laws, rules and regulations.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate patient specific care plans and resolve medication related issues with the goal of optimizing pharmaceutical care.
• Understands, performs and is compliant with all pharmacist steps in the Medication Use Process.
• Understands and is compliant with implemented USP Chapter 797 regulations; including supervising the IV room activity when it is their scheduled role for the shift to ensure patient safety.
• Understands and performs regulatory and organizational requirements without reminders.
• Maintains focus and professional demeanor in fast paced environment.
• Identifies opportunities for professional growth and actively participates in department educational activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree - Required
• PharmD from an accredited college of Pharmacy - Required
• 30 hours of continuing education (including 6 hours of ACPE -01 for MTS certificate) every 2 years for license renewal (documented in NABP CPE monitor and/or Missouri Board of Pharmacy approved CE). - Required

Work Experience

• Experience with unit-dose systems, IV Admixture programs, and inservice programs to public, healthcare professionals, and providing clinical pharmacy services. - Required
• Experience in computer applications to pharmacy services. - Required
• Experience in pre-packing\batch preparation\compounding skills. - Required

Licenses and Certifications

• Pharmacist License - License in good standing with the Missouri State Board of Pharmacy - Required within 120 Days
• Medication Therapy Services Certificate (MTS) - Required within 120 Days

Travel Requirements

• Must be able to travel between various system facilities and off-site locations as needed. - Required

Qualifications

Skills and Abilities

Essential Technical/Motor Skills

• Ability to accurately input medications, dosages, strengths into pharmacy computer system.
• Able to speak clearly in order to communicate with ancillary medical professionals on drug therapy.
• Able to type and utilize computer keyboard/computer/mouse to accurately input data.
• Able to answer the telephone in order to take and receive and relay, interpret, analyze questions follow-up.

Interpersonal Skills

• Ability to communicate, clearly, handle telephone, take and deliver messages and interact with other health care practitioners for the benefit of providing quality patient care.
• Able to function as a team player.
• Able to problem solve through individual and group interaction dealing with others in order to meet the needs and expectations of the customer.
• Able to be flexible with personal schedule to meet department staffing requirements.

Essential Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift and push varying degrees of weight (not to exceed 50 pounds).
• Ability to constantly move in/out of department, standing, sitting, walking to fill orders, retrieve medications, deliver, answer phones (several), trips to and from the nursing units, writing orders, doing patient consults, providing drug information; to be able to operate, understand and functionally perform the computer operation as and other pharmacy equipment/devices.

Essential Mental Abilities

• Able to manipulate numbers and interchange from metric/apothecary measures, and handle dosage calculations.
• Able to read, interpret data/analyze written medication order and converse with physicians on suggested/recommended therapy adjustments/changes etc. toward a positive outcome.
• Able to calculate, manipulate and state correct dosages/adjustments.
• Able to assimilate, comprehend, understand physician orders/requests and understand written/verbal requests.
• Ability to multi-task without losing focus.
• Able to adapt to priority requests, shifts and changing healthcare environment through the use of organizational skills.
• Able to assess, evaluate phone messages, patient therapy, potential drug interactions,
• adverse drug interactions and meeting customer needs.
• Able to use short and long-term memory in order to report between shifts, drug therapy decisions with physicians.
• Alert and focus on task/activity and not become overwhelmed when handling medication requests.

Essential Sensory Requirements

• Able to visually assess written physician's orders, review patient charts, reports, audits to make informed decisions, etc. for further processing.
• Able to hear in order to handle phone requests from ancillary medical personnel, physicians regarding patient pharmaceutical therapy, both to send and receive.
• Able to visually assess colors in order to determine if appropriate solutions\dosage form were accurately dispensed or mixed.

Exposure to Hazards

• Hazardous drugs, Chemotherapy, needle sticks.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Self-starter does not require much supervision.
• Able to plan ahead.
• Able to complete instructions with little or no direct supervision.
• Able to ask the appropriate questions for understanding of the question or task at hand.