Pharmacy Technician

Transition Of Care Pharmacy Technician

The primary functions of the Transition of Care Pharmacy Technician include interviewing patients to obtain medication histories, medical chart reviews to compile medication lists, contacting outside pharmacies, nursing facilities and inpatient facilities for medication information, entering progress notes (signed/cosigned by a clinical pharmacist), supplemental patient education communication, and other Pharmacy-related operational activities including but not limited to filling and delivering outpatient medications. On-site certification of clinical competency shall be completed prior to performing assigned clinical functions with routine reassessment completed. This position functions under the matrix supervision of the Clinical Pharmacist (CP) and Clinical Pharmacy Practitioners (CPP) in acute care.

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:

• Accurately interpret, fills, and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification.
• Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition by assuring that all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris in order to create optimal work areas.
• Assures drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including the storage of high-risk, look a-like sound a-like, hazardous, controlled substances, corrosive chemical, flammable liquids and refrigerated items.
• Receives, checks, rotates, and places in stock all items received from pharmacy procurement section and identifies and reconciles any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received.
• Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely the supervisor as appropriate.
• Records expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt.
• Perform monthly inspections to assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to expired drugs are removed. Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements.
• 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, 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.
• Uses standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each batch prepared.
• Proficiently operates equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines in the routing of manufacturing pharmaceutical products.
• Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution. Identifies basic therapeutic problems, such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention.
• Assists in training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students. Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non-professional staff members.
• Demonstrates the ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality.
• Participate in performance improvement initiatives for pharmacy.
• Assists higher level technicians as needed.
• Completes all National, VISN, local, and Pharmacy mandatory trainings in a timely manner.
• Maintains national certification with PTCB or ExCPT.
• Complies with all VHA, Medical Center, and Pharmacy regulations, directives, policies, and procedures.
• May be assigned to work in other areas of pharmacy service as deemed necessary by the Chief, Pharmacy Service or Supervisor.

Work Schedule: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday, and weekends as needed.

Compressed/Flexible: Not available.

Telework: Not available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

US Department of Veterans Affairs