Pharmacy Technician

Job Duties

Performs essential role in preparation, compounding, dispensing, and distribution of sterile and nonsterile hazardous medication within designated sterile compounding areas.

Receives, reviews, and prepares physician order for cytotoxic agents and pre-medication.

Performs accurate product identification labeling dosage calculation, and compounding of agents by utilizing package literature, written procedural guidelines and application of specialized knowledge.

Successfully complete assignments and maintain annual competencies to compound hazardous and non-hazardous IV sterile preparations according to USP 795, 797, and 800 standards.

Follows proper aseptic preparation techniques when compounding hazardous and non-hazardous medications.

Reviews anticipated inventory needs and notifies procurement technician in a timely manner of products required.

Assists in maintaining all required records related to sterile compounding.

Receives hazardous IV chemotherapy inventory stock according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines placing in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves, and removing/replacing outdated items.

Maintains Chemo/IV room medication inventory, compounding supplies and cleaning products to ensure availability and minimize waste.

Conducts daily, weekly, and monthly IV room cleaning to include check for soon to expire medications.

Manufactures uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume, small volume, infusion syringe or other as required.

Prepares sterile ophthalmic preparations and other complex sterile pharmaceuticals such as total parenteral alimentations and cardioplegia solutions.

Assist in the central IV sterile suite as needed.

Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of USP 795/797/800 chapters and hazardous drug handling to assist in management, compliance, staff education activities, training, and room certifications.

Participate in glove fingertip and media fill testing, maintain competences passing didactic practical skill assessment initially and annually thereafter.

Assists in airborne particulate and microbial testing and surface testing to ensure cleaning schedules are met.

Ensures full compliance with all regulatory requirements (VHA, Joint Commission, USP 795, 797, 800, EPA, OSHA, NIOSH, and FDA).

Assists in maintaining a training/education manual for the focus area assigned.

Provides training for new or existing staff so that these competencies are maintained.

Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow independently in the assigned area.

Performs all the duties of lower grade technicians, if required.