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POSITION DESCRIPTION
COLUMBUS REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
JOB TITLE
Pharmacy Technician
JOB CODE
0630
DEPARTMENT
PHARMACY
FLSA (Exempt/Non-Exempt)
NON-EXEMPT
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR SIGNATURE
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR SIGNATURE
V. P. HUMAN RESOURCES SIGNATURE
EFFECTIVE DATE
09/13/94
REVISION DATE
03/20/09
DESCRIPTION SUMMARY: Performs a variety of support and clerical functions relating to the control, preparation and dispensing of pharmaceutical products.
EDUCATION, CREDENTIALS AND TRAINING:
Required: Completion of approved program for pharmacy technicians, practical nursing, or accepted as a student in an accredited school of pharmacy. Related
work experience as a Pharmacy Technician may be substituted for formal program training. Proficient in keyboarding. Basic computer application skills.
Incumbent will be required to demonstrate competence in the performance of duties specific to all age groups of patients. Must be eligible for registration through
NC Board of Pharmacy and become registered within 30 days of employment unless involved in an on-site training program as defined by the NC Board of
Pharmacy, such training to be followed by registration within required time line.
Preferred: National certification as a Pharmacy Technician.
EXPERIENCE: No previous experience required. Given training and on-the-job experience, incumbent should be proficient in the basic aspects of the job within 3
months.
OTHER: Manual dexterity. Organizational skills.
ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:
Supervises: None
Reports to: Pharmacy Tech Supervisor or Assistant Director of Pharmacy
COMMUNICATIONS: Frequent communications with departmental personnel. Routine communications with nursing personnel. Incidental communications with
customers to the pharmacy and supplier representatives. Obtains, presents or discusses information pertinent to job responsibilities. Requires courtesy, tact and
good communication skills to clarify or give facts, to discuss and resolve minor problems, to avoid misunderstanding and to promote goodwill.
WORKING HOURS AND OVERTIME STATUS: Normally assigned to a day and evening shift, to include weekend and holiday rotation. May be required to work
alternate shifts or additional hours as the workload demands. Classified as non-exempt for purposes of overtime.
DRESS POLICY: Scrubs of approved color or color-approved lab jacket, over street attire which is in compliance with general hospital dress policy. Close-toed
shoes with non-slip soles.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Most of work is performed in light and temperature controlled environments. Regular potential exposure to harmful fumes. Routinely
handles sharp objects.
EXPOSURE DETERMINATION: OSHA requires an exposure determination concerning which employees may incur occupational exposure to blood or other
potentially infectious materials. The exposure determination is made without regard to the use of personal protective equipment (i.e. employees are considered to
be exposed even if they wear personal protective equipment.) This exposure determination is required to list all job classifications in which all employees may be
expected to incur such occupational exposure, regardless of frequency. It is the department’s responsibility to perform exposure determination for all employees
and to list job classifications in one of three categories.
Category 1 includes employees who are routinely exposed to blood borne pathogens
Category 2 includes employees who are not usually exposed, but for whom contact with infectious materials can be reasonably anticipated during the course of
their duties.
Category 3 is for employees who are not exposed to infectious materials during the normal operations of their job duties.
This job is rated as a category __2___ (1, 2, or 3).
BIOHAZARDOUS DRUGS: As a health care facility which dispenses drugs, some of which have been identified as hazardous by NIOSH, our goal is to provide
training and where necessary, personal protective equipment (PPE) to insure employee safety. *See list of hazardous drugs in Pharmacy Policy Manual,
Chemotherapy Preparation section. Warning labels will be used to identify drugs requiring special handling or waste disposal procedures. It is the department’s
responsibility to train in safe handling and disposal. It is the employee’s responsibility to follow policies and procedures, and to report situations and/or make
recommendations to improve safety.
It is also the department’s responsibility to perform exposure determination for all employees and to list job classifications in one of three categories.
Category 1 includes employees who are routinely exposed to hazardous drugs.
Category 2 includes employees who are not usually exposed, but for whom contact with hazardous drugs can be reasonably anticipated during the course of their
duties.
Category 3 is for employees who are not exposed to hazardous drugs during the normal operations of their job duties.
This job is rated as a category __2___ (1, 2, or 3).
WORK AIDS: Computer . Calculator. Flow hood. IV admixture pump. Pyxis machine. Other pharmacological supplies and equipment. Administrative supplies,
records and reports. Patient medical and medication records. Employee prescription records.
KEY ELEMENTS: PHARMACY TECHNICIAN
Communicates problems and alerts appropriate staff concerning patient and medication issues. Takes initiative to resolve issues when appropriate.
Participates in QA and PI activities.
Demonstrates working knowledge of departmental equipment which includes printers, fax machines, scanners, pneumatic tube, copier, telephones,
beepers, e-mail, particularly the pre-packaging machines ADN the automated dispensing cabinet management.
Assists the pharmaceutical buyer in maintaining proper inventory levels by utilizing the order list, rotating stock, removing out-of-date medication and
maintaining all monthly records required in monthly checks of expired drugs.
Prepares IV admixtures in accordance with policy. Prepares non-unit dose medications for unit dose dispensing while maintaining appropriate records.
Accurately fills refill lists, floor stock request, and patient prescriptions to include appropriate labeling. Accurately manages refill and removal activities within
the automated dispensing machines. Accurately maintains all controlled substances records.
Provides excellent service to our customers. Follows up with requests made by nursing, physicians and pharmacists in a timely manner. Manages patient
accounts by accurately charging and crediting patient accounts within the time frames set by hospital policy.
JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES
1.
2.
Performs a variety of functions pertaining to the dispensing of pharmaceutical drugs and products.
-Prepares medication orders for the automated dispensing cabinet and for floor stock
-Checks when appropriate for all patient populations for correct dosage, frequency, allergies which contraindicate usage, and adverse drug interactions,
and reports variances to Pharmacist
-Considers the patient age when assisting the pharmacist in evaluating care, to ensure the appropriate course of therapy
-Issues control substances to patient care areas, and maintains records
-Fills employee prescriptions, and prepares billing
-Prepackages bulk drugs in unit dose packages
-Refills and charges medications in Pyxis in OR, ED and on 5th floor
-Fills stock drugs and requisitions for nursing and other departments
-Prepares and processes orders for drugs and pharmaceutical supplies
a.
Accurately fills requisitions and prescriptions in accordance with procedure and time frame
b.
Accurately per-packages drugs in accordance with procedure and time frames
c.
Accurately labels items
d.
Alerts a pharmacist to any possible errors or incompatibilities based on any available information
e.
Ensures that orders are checked by a pharmacist prior to releasing
f.
Accurately follows established procedures for the dispensing, control and documentation of controlled substances.
Prepares IV fluids and admixtures under the close supervision of a Staff Registered Pharmacist.
-Prepares routine intravenous admixtures, and fills intravenous therapy orders
-Admixes hyperalimentation antibiotics/epidurals
-Maintains intravenous mixing room in a sanitary and organized condition following hospital policy derived from the Chapter 797 of the USP Guidelines
3.
4.
5.
a.
Ensures that designated levels of IV stocks are maintained on hand at all times, and that out-of-date items are purged from inventory by their
expiration date.
b.
Accurately follows established procedures for the preparation, packaging, labeling, documentation and storage of IV fluids and admixtures,
ensuring that Pharmacist checks work for accuracy.
Receives and stores drugs, and identifies and reports inventory needs.
-Responsible for maintaining an adequate supply of drugs
-Checks in, verifies accuracy of order and invoice, and stores drug orders
-Purges out-of-date drugs on all nursing units and other areas that contain medications, and in the Pharmacy
-Monitors drug storage and preparation areas through the hospital and reports problems
a.
Ensures that deliveries match purchase orders with respect to content and quantity before accepting.
b.
Properly stores items in correct location, in accordance with procedure, by the end of the shift received.
c.
Ensures that items are routinely rotated, and purged by their expiration dates.
d.
Ensures that purchase requests are properly prepared to maintain par levels of designated drug inventories daily.
e.
Routinely monitors and immediately reports any irregularities or problems observed in drug storage and preparation areas through the hospital.
Transports medications to each unit to refill medications in the automated dispensing cabinet.
a.
Accomplishes deliveries according to established schedule or assigned time frame.
b.
Organizes deliveries so that they can be accomplished in the least amount of time.
Retrieves discarded medications and controlled substances and verifies against documentation
a.
6.
7.
Answers departmental telephone.
a.
Ascertains the name, and if applicable, the company and purpose of the call, before transferring.
b.
Ensures prompt delivery of telephone messages, to include name of caller, telephone number, time and date of call, message and disposition.
c.
Accurately and promptly relays verbal messages to appropriate person.
Prepares, processes or maintains computerized and hard copy records, and charges medications on profiles, MAR sheet, code sheets and
automated dispensing cabinet.
a.
8.
Accurately accomplishes procedures for returned drugs in accordance with procedure and time frames.
Required record keeping, data entry and charging are accurate and up-to-date.
Performs continuous quality improvement and performance improvement activities.
a.
9.
10.
Effectively performs data collection, analysis and idea generation pertinent to the unit's quality assurance and quality improvement programs, on an
on-going basis, without prompting.
Maintains continuous knowledge and expertise to perform duties safely and accurately.
a.
Maintains necessary knowledge base to perform drug preparation responsibilities and to notify the pharmacist of incorrect dosage, drug duplication
and other factors that must be considered.
b.
Maintains the expertise to utilize automated processes associated with medication therapy for patients within the hospital environment.
Performs miscellaneous duties as needed.
-Participates in inventory audits
-Performs other duties as assigned
a.
Accomplishes routine and non-routine miscellaneous duties and assignments in accordance with procedure or instructions, and time frames.