Pharmacy Tech

Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician will obtain and record the initial medication history. Includes conducting patient and/or designee interviews focused on obtaining current medication regimens including prescription and over the counter (non-prescription) medications, as well as vitamin and herbal supplements. The Pharmacy Technician will function under the supervision of the Director of Pharmacy and/or pharmacy leadership team.

Responsible for assisting the Pharmacist in providing Pharmaceutical Services according to standard practices of the profession, hospital policies and directives, Federal and State laws, JCAHO, and local agencies governing the practice of pharmacy within the hospital. The technician will assume floating duties between the Pharmacy and Nursing Units.

Major Responsibilities:

Distribution Functions:

Ensure rounds are made at least every hour for delivery of medications.

Refers all inquiries or issues regarding patient therapy to a pharmacist.

Delivers narcotics and maintains records of delivery. Provides controlled drug records to nursing, bills narcotics, advises pharmacists if there is an administration irregularity according to policy and procedure.

Compares types and quantity of drugs returned from patient care areas with medication administration record and advises pharmacist of irregularities according to established policies and procedures.

IV Admixture:

Prepares intravenous and other sterile products by selecting and calculating ingredient amounts, compounding or injecting into the proper container and packaging and labeling according to established policies and using appropriate techniques.

Prepares pharmacy products according to quality assurance criteria including reconstitution of pharmaceutical products for dispensing.

Medication Packaging:

Prepares unit dose medications according to quality control criteria. This includes placing medication in proper containers, labeling correctly and the maintenance of logbook.

Prepares oral, topical and other pharmacy products for distribution by calculating ingredient amounts, mixing components, selecting proper containers, packaging and labeling according to established policies and procedures.

Prepares pharmacy products in proper containers with appropriate label(s) as dictated by State and Federal regulations, standards, organizational and departmental policies and procedures.

Medication Storage:

Unpacks and restocks pharmacy items in appropriate storage areas in an orderly manner. This includes rotating stock.

Monitors drug storage areas within the hospital ensuring refrigerator log sheets are maintained, medications are not expired, patient's own medications are recorded and properly stored according to established policies and procedures.

Replaces floor stock/Pyxis on all units as needed. This may include nursing units, emergency or surgery department, and pharmacy storage areas within the hospital.

Medication Reconciliation:

Interviews patients and/or their designated family/caregivers as soon as possible after presenting for care to the Emergency Department and or Medical Surgical/Intensive Care Unit.

Obtains and records accurately in the electronic medical record a current list of medications to include prescription medications, over the counter (non-prescription) medications, vitamin and nutritional supplements.

Records the following for each medication: medication/supplement name, dosage form, strength, dose, frequency, day/time of last dose taken.

Clarifies as many uncertainties as possible and compiles as complete a medication history as possible utilizing patient/designee information, community pharmacy records, clinic records, long-term-care facility records and information from previous hospital encounters.

Assist in collecting information to support Hospital Performance Quality Improvement initiatives as directed.

Inventory Control:

Orders appropriate quantities of medications and supplies to ensure maintenance of par levels.

Orders medications and supplies from appropriate vendors according to established policy and procedure.

Receives and verifies incoming pharmacy merchandise against purchase orders and other inventory ordering records and documents it is received and distributes received documents.

Notifies pharmacist of discrepancies between order and what was received: quantity, quality, damage, etc.

All other duties are assigned.

Qualifications:

High School diploma or equivalent required. Pharmacy Technician License in the State of California.

PTCB Preferred.

Fire Card.

AVIP Certificate.

Physical Demand Analysis:

1. Physical Requirements: Ability to negotiate physical environment with safety.

2. Visual Requirements: Ability to translate and understand written communications and negotiate physical environment with safety.

3. Hearing Requirements: Ability to understand and translate auditory communications with safety.

4. Working Conditions: Office working conditions: Normal. Patient Care Areas: With safety precautions.