Pharmacy Technician

Job Title

Duties

Functions or Scopes of Practice:

A. Operations - Medication Stock and Storage

• Adequate stock of pharmaceuticals and supplies for the areas assigned is maintained by communicating with the procurement personnel for items that are below par levels or out of stock.
• Usage of medications is monitored, and par levels are adjusted accordingly. In addition, out of stock medications are communicated to the pharmacy staff and procurement team at the time of discovery so that arrangements can be made to prevent delays in patient care.
• All pharmacy areas are maintained according to facility and service level policies (e.g., separate areas for high alert medications, proper disposal of corrugated cardboard, etc.).
• Assigned monthly ward inspections are thoroughly and consistently performed within established timeframe, including inspection of investigational drug areas, if assigned.
• Recalled drugs are properly returned to pharmacy service, segregated, and secured to prevent re-dispensing.
• Outdated, deteriorated, and damaged medications are disposed of in the appropriate pharmaceutical waste containers or placed inside the return bin for credit processing according to policy and procedures for reverse distribution.
• Stock is rotated as necessary to utilize the shortest expiration date items first.
• Pharmacy medication shelves are scanned daily to assist the procurement team in ordering medications and supplies.
• Packaging supplies are monitored and restocked by alerting procurement staff in a timely manner.
• Medication and supply orders are checked in for accuracy from the prime vendor, logistics, and other contracted vendors.
• Medications and supplies requiring a purchase card are listed and requested by the procurement staff.
• Refrigerators/freezers are monitored daily for adequate temperature control according to facility policies and procedures. Appropriate action is initiated and documented for out-of-range temperature, and problems are resolved in a timely manner to ensure no drug is wasted due to improper storage.
• Equipment problems are identified and concerns are brought to the immediate attention of the supervisor and/or Informatics/Automation personnel.
• Maintains a safe, clean, uncluttered work area in the storage and dispensing areas.
• Prepares items necessary for storage according to policy and requirements.

B. Distribution - Medication Order/Prescription Preparation

• Medications, supplies, vaccines, etc. are filled accurately in accordance with current state and federal laws/regulations and are checked and verified by a pharmacist before dispensing to the patient. This includes selecting the correct medication or supply item and dosage form, accurately counting or measuring the quantity to be dispensed, reconstituting, labeling the medication with a barcode, affixing the appropriate auxiliary labels, and completing all necessary documentation per policies and procedures, including making appropriate entries on the pharmacy record and decrementing in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) for proper inventory. Potential problems are brought to the attention of a pharmacist and reported to by the supervisor for review in an accurate and timely manner.
• Workload is prioritized; orders/prescriptions are processed, filled and delivered in a timely manner; and assignments are completed within specified time frames.
• Sterile and non-sterile compounded medications are prepared and dispensed according to policies and procedures both hazardous and non-hazardous products.
• Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile). This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used for final pharmacist verification.
• Manufactures products requiring compounding including chemotherapy and NIOSH medications, whether made in large batches for more than one patient or in small batches to fill a single prescription or drug order.
• Correctly interprets physician orders, selects, and measures appropriate ingredients, mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner, inspects the final product for accuracy, labels the product, maintains records of the manufacturing process, and attains a final check by a pharmacist.
• Preparing and dispensing unit dose medications which includes but are not limited to accurately filling patient cassettes, returning unused medications to stock, maintaining adequate unit-dose stocks, handles routine telephone inquiries, replenishing emergency

Work Schedule: 0800-1630

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available

Telework: Not Available

Functional Statement #: 0000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Available

US Department of Veterans Affairs