Retail Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician under the direction of a pharmacist, delivers medications, performs unit dose activities, including filling patient medication orders and cassettes, ADT updates, floor stock orders, outpatient prescriptions, performs routine medication area inspections, maintains records for controlled substances, and utilizes the pharmacy computer system. Assumes IV/Admixture responsibilities including labeling pre-mixed solutions, restocking and ordering solutions and supplies, preparing large and small volume parenterals, parenteral nutrition solutions, irrigations, anti-neoplastic solutions and extemporaneous compounds. Performs administratively assigned duties.

Job Duties And Responsibilities:

• Obtains and maintains appropriate knowledge and understanding of the St. Luke's University Health Network and the Department of Pharmacy. This knowledge will include an overview of the department, the content of the department's training program, and other topics as determined by the supervisor.
• Accurately and timely fills medications and IV orders from computer generated labels, fills and updates. Delivers medications to and picks up medications from patient care areas and automated dispensing cabinets or uses the pneumatic tube to deliver medications when appropriate.
• Accurately credits returned patient medications.
• Demonstrates ability to answer telephone/window and deal with visitors to pharmacy appropriately. Demonstrates ability to involve other pharmacy staff when appropriate including directing all drug information questions to a pharmacist.
• Prepares prepackaged medications under pharmacist supervision using proper technique, maintains appropriate log books and completes work within shift.
• Prepares parenteral, admixture, anti-neoplastic and Home IV Therapy orders, extemporaneously compounds under pharmacist supervision using proper aseptic technique, maintains appropriate log books and completes work within shift.
• Keeps work area clean and neat and free of excess items, maintains adequate par levels of medications within shift and removes all outdated drugs.
• Reviews, fills, delivers nursing floor stock and controlled substances; performs medication area inspections for all areas with medications; prepares outpatient prescriptions in accordance with federal and state pharmacy laws.
• Delivers or retrieves medications when the supervising pharmacist views the situation as necessary.
• Completes and maintains IV/Admixtures lab and departmental competencies.
• Performs floor inspections for all areas with medications as assigned.
• Maintains a working knowledge of the general chemical and physical properties of drugs handled in the pharmacy department. This includes, but is not limited to, identifying medications that are light sensitive, requires refrigeration, are caustic, or poisonous. Is able to use reference books and website references for stability information or material safety data sheets.
• Carries out the calculations required for the usual dosage determinations and solutions preparation, using weight and volume equivalents in the metric systems.
• Performs the essential functions relating to drug purchasing and inventory control.
• Utilizes effective interpersonal communication skills while maintaining confidentiality of hospital information and addressing co-workers, nurses and others in a pleasant and cooperative manner.
• Performs routine activities with minimal supervision, offering to provide additional help when needed, participates in training of new employees.
• Maintains safe working habits, does not create hazardous conditions within the work environment.

Physical And Sensory Requirements:

Standing and walking for up to eight hours per day and up to three consecutive hours. Sitting for up to six hours per day, and up to two consecutive hours. Continuously fingering; frequently handling, firm grasping, twisting and turning. Frequently lifting and carrying up to 35 pounds. Frequent, continuous stair climbing and decent while carrying up to 35 pounds. Periodically, extended walking. Occasionally pushing and pulling up to 200 pounds. Frequently stooping and bending. Repetitively looking up. Occasionally crouching. Continuously reaching above shoulder level. Frequent neck bending. Hearing as it relates to normal conversation, high and low frequency. Seeing as it relates to general vision, near vision, far vision, color vision and peripheral vision.

Education / Certification:

All pharmacy technicians must possess certain demonstrated abilities and a thorough knowledge base, understanding, and level of proficiency to assure adherence to the procedures and objectives of pharmacy services. These abilities and knowledge include general basic chemistry, arithmetic, basic algebra, reading, and writing. High school diploma or equivalent.

Training And Experience:

Requires successful completion of on-the-job training in each area of the department within the first six months of employment. Must demonstrate understanding of pharmaceutical and medical terminology, pharmaceutical calculations and general pharmacy procedures within the first six months of employment.