Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technician

Perform a full range of pharmacy technician drug distribution duties in support of Pharmacy Service operations. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Read and interpret prescriptions, obtain proper medication or material in the proper strength and dosage form, determine proper amount and count, pour, or measure the medications; affix proper label; and record required data on Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. After a final check by a pharmacist, dispense medication in ambulatory care or discharge situations.
• Inventory and replenish emergency carts with appropriate medications and supplies.
• Collect drug use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes as required.
• Operate and maintain complicated pharmacy equipment such as unit dose prepackaging machines, automatic dispensing machines, IV compounding machines and other pharmacy devices. Able to troubleshoot the equipment and the technology platforms/databases.
• Compound and/or reconstitute oral or external medications (non-sterile); includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used.
• After prescription/order(s) are reviewed by a pharmacist for therapeutic propriety, review orders for technical accuracy and convert the order, if necessary, so that the item dispensed corresponds to the drug and dose ordered.
• Answer questions with regard to drug distribution procedures and timeframes for delivery.
• Identify basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alert the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention.
• Conduct ward inspections of patient care areas.
• Ensure all look alike, sound alike, high alert, refrigerated medications are stored properly according to manufactures recommendations and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requirement.
• Monitor inventory needs in patient care areas, relays this information to the appropriate Pharmacy personal. This also includes placing stock in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves and removing/replacing outdated items.
• Maintain a training/education manual for the focus area assigned.
• Provide training and mentorship to new or existing staff.
• Understand requirements of USP 795, USP 797, USP 800, disposal of hazardous materials, safe medication distribution and electronic prescription processing.
• Prepare medication orders for controlled substances and non-controlled substances, sterile product compounding including chemotherapy and hazardous drugs, unit dose prepacking, non-sterile product compounding, ward inspections, automated dispensing cabinet stocking and inventory maintenance thereof.
• Perform necessary daily maintenance, loading, and documentation functions for automated dispensing equipment. Problem solve dispensing issues and trouble shoot basic software or hardware issues. Operate equipment per policy and assure that the product identification precisely matches the medication order.
• Assist in other patient care areas to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services, as needed.
• Occasional travel to stock the Valor Center.