Pharmacy Specialist

Responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical care at West Virginia University Hospitals through involvement in direct patient care, operational, education and administrative activities, and assumes a leadership role in the profession of pharmacy.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must possess current licensure as required by state board where services will be provided:
  • West Virginia: Pharmacist license through the West Virginia State Board of Pharmacy
  • Pennsylvania: Pharmacist license through the Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy
  • Maryland: Pharmacist license through the Maryland Board of Pharmacy
  • Ohio: Pharmacist license through the Ohio Board of Pharmacy
• Obtain certification in Basic Life Support within 60 days of hire date.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) from an ACPE accredited school of pharmacy.

Experience

• Experience in at least one of the following areas:
  • Completion of a PGY-2 Residency in an applicable clinical field
  • Completion of a PGY-1 Residency and Board Certified in an applicable clinical field
  • Completion of a PGY-1 Residency and three years of relevant pharmacist experience
  • Three (3) years of relevant pharmacist experience and Board Certified in an applicable clinical field

Core Duties and Responsibilities

1. Monitors drug therapy of patients by participating in medical rounds or routinely evaluating the patient's medication regimen, medical problems, laboratory data, and special procedures.
2. Provides leadership and care for patients in assigned areas of responsibility; guides providers and patients on best practices and established guidelines for care and assures safe and effective use of drugs through clinical involvement.
3. Assists nursing and other disciplines or departments in admission and discharge planning and patient education related to the appropriate use of medication.
4. Provides drug information and educational programs to the medical and nursing staff, other health care practitioners, and pharmacy staff.
5. Maintains professional competence by attending and presenting at conferences, continuing educational programs, reading current professional literature and publishing clinical or practice-related experience or research.
6. Participates in administrative, quality assurance, performance improvement, and clinical research activities within the department.
7. Participates in medication use evaluations.
8. Reviews each order to verify and confirm accuracy and appropriateness.
9. Evaluates compliance with established medication safety procedures.
10. Offers suggestions to improve medication safety based on best practice (i.e., ISMP).
11. Routinely documents medication errors, unsafe conditions, or near misses.
12. Promotes an environment with a constant focus on medication safety.
13. Dispenses medications from the provider's order.
14. Ensures that policies and procedures related to drug distribution are followed.
15. Responsible for drug use control in assigned service areas.
16. Identifies problems related to aspects of drug use control and offers constructive ideas for resolution.
17. Assumes responsibility for and makes decisions related to the provision of pharmaceutical services in assigned service area.
18. Detects, reports, and helps to minimize or manage adverse drug reactions and medication errors.
19. Participates in the management of acute and chronic disease states, medical emergencies, and adverse drug reactions.
20. Communicates relevant findings and recommendations and documents them in the clinical information system.
21. Ensures that necessary records are appropriately maintained according to legal requirements and hospital policies and procedures.
22. Supervises technicians in drug preparation and distribution duties.
23. Provides objective information on the performance of co-workers (both within and outside of the pharmacy department) to facilitate performance management.
24. Participates in the orientation and education of pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and/or new department employees.
25. Participates in educational and scholarly activities related to drug therapy to enhance personal knowledge as well as that of other health professionals at West Virginia University Hospitals.
26. Participates in planning and implementing changes in the pharmacy and improves productivity through participation in staff meetings and projects.
27. Routinely completes and submits written assignments in a timely manner, continuing education documentation, and other items as assigned.
28. Successfully completes annual clinical competency evaluations.

Physical Requirements

• Walk and stand for long periods of time.
• Must be able to lift 30 pounds and push 50 pounds.
• Dexterity required to finger, handle, and reach.

Working Environment

• Cognizant of environmental factors.

Skills and Abilities

• Time management skills.
• Verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• Teamwork skills.

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Equal Opportunity Employer

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.