Clinical Pharmacist - Overnight

Oregon Health & Science University•Portland, OR

About The Position

The Clinical Pharmacist provides licensed pharmacist services and is responsible for the safe and proper distribution and use of drugs for inpatients and outpatients across all age groups, from neonates through older adults. The role operates at an advanced decision-making level, proactively influencing medication use by making recommendations when prescribing decisions are made and, in cooperation with other health team members, making independent decisions about drug therapy. The position follows a flexible practice model in which traditionally centralized functions, such as order entry and verification, may become part of decentralized practice as patient-care technology evolves. The pharmacist identifies, resolves, and documents complex therapeutic problems; provides drug information; monitors medication response and adverse effects; consults with providers; and reports adverse drug reactions, drug defects, and medication errors. The role also interprets orders and prescriptions, verifies medications prepared and dispensed by the central pharmacy, supervises pharmacy technicians, and directs and evaluates students and residents. The pharmacist helps develop treatment guidelines, documents clinical activities, contributes to education and peer development, and builds relationships with medical staff to influence therapy standards. The work involves competing demands from healthcare professionals, intense situations, frequent interruptions, and limited control over work pace, which may cause mental fatigue or stress. OHSU is Oregon’s only public academic health center and describes its work as including patient care, research, and training future healthcare professionals.

Requirements

Current pharmacist license issued by the Oregon State Board of Pharmacy.
Knowledge of pharmaceutical care principles.
Knowledge of age-related modification of drug therapy.
Knowledge of disease-related modification of drug therapy.
Knowledge of contemporary medication-use systems.
Interpersonal skills and formal and informal communication skills, including presentations.
Project management concepts.
Systematic problem-solving skills.
Computer skills, including use of an EMR and common word-processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
OHSU may require specialized-area training or experience at the time of recruitment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy or Pharm.D.
Practice residency or specialist certification, such as BCPS or BCOPS.
PGY-2 specialty residency.
BLS/ACLS certification.
Vaccination certification.
Inpatient hospital pharmacy practice.

Responsibilities

Identify, resolve, and document complex therapeutic problems using advanced knowledge applied to a specific patient population.
Respond to drug-information requests from physicians, nurses, patients, and patients’ families; independently review and interpret literature and apply it to patient-care situations.
Monitor therapeutic responses and medication adverse effects to guide drug therapy.
Consult with providers when questions or problems are identified.
Report adverse drug reactions, drug defects, and medication errors appropriately.
Direct students’ and residents’ work and monitor and evaluate their performance.
Build peer-level relationships with attending medical staff and influence standards of therapy as a recognized drug authority in a specialized practice area.
Assist in developing treatment guidelines for patients with specific diagnoses.
Document activities in the patient medical record, pharmacy monitoring profile, drug-use evaluation data collection, or adverse drug reaction reporting program.
Interpret and evaluate physician orders and prescriptions for accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness.
Verify the accuracy and appropriateness of medications prepared and dispensed from the central pharmacy.
Supervise pharmacy technicians and assume responsibility for duties performed by technicians in the work areas.
Participate in intra- and interdepartmental education programs and contribute to peer development.
Make prescribing recommendations and, in cooperation with other health team members, make independent drug-therapy decisions.