Pharmacist Intern

Banner Health•South Tucson, AZ

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Pharmacy careers are better at Banner Health. We are committed to developing the careers of our team members. We care about you, your career today and your future. If you’re looking to leverage your abilities – apply today. Banner Health is a nonprofit organization consisting of 28 acute care hospitals and health care facilities, including 3 academic medical centers and other related health entities and services in six states. Banner – University Medicine is the academic medicine division of Banner Health, anchored in Phoenix and Tucson. BUMC South is one of the 3 academic medical centers at Banner. We partner with the University Of Arizona College Of Pharmacy to provide residency programs and APPE/IPPE learning opportunities. The pharmacy department at Banner University Medical Center South services a hospital with 245 licensed beds, with approximately half of those beds dedicated to the care of patients with psychiatric diagnoses, an ED with over 50,000 visits each year, and over a dozen provider/hospital-based clinics. The pharmacy has an ASHP-accredited PGY-1 residency program, participates in drug studies, services patients in outpatient clinic settings, and has a robust student education program with UA College of Pharmacy. We have unit based pharmacy services in our Med/Surg unit, ICU, behavioral health unit and ED. As a Pharmacist Intern at BUMCS, you will be provided ample opportunity to be a successful pharmacy clinician. The objective of the program is to provide pharmacy students the opportunity to work at an academic medical center and learn the operations of a hospital pharmacy and build clinical knowledge. Each year of the program correlates with the year of pharmacy school that the student is enrolled. As the student progresses through school, they will become more involved with patient care by directly assisting pharmacists with clinical responsibilities. As a Pharmacist Intern you will learn how to review charts, complete drug level monitoring, review culture results, provide anticoagulation counseling, and perform compounding and medication dispensing. For first year Pharmacist interns: you will only have tech shift responsibilities that include one 8-hour shift. Possible shifts are 6:30AM – 3PM or 2:30PM – 11:30PM any day of the week. For second year Pharmacist interns, you would cover one 8 hour tech shift and one 4-hour intern shift. Banner - University Medical Center South is a comprehensive academic medical center that includes an Emergency department, a state-designated trauma center and a Behavioral Health Pavilion. We are an Arizona Department of Health Services-accredited Cardiac Receiving Center and a Nurses Improving Care for Health system Elders-designated senior-friendly hospital. The hospital is staffed by physicians who are full-time faculty of the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson and is managed by Banner Health under an operating agreement with Pima County. Our specialty services include inpatient and outpatient behavioral health, treatment and education for diabetes, innovative geriatrics care and comprehensive orthopedics. POSITION SUMMARY This position will work under the supervision of the pharmacist. Performs routine duties in packaging, distribution and record keeping of pharmaceutical supplies. Assists in preparing compounded and intravenous medications, total parenteral nutrition products, and chemotherapeutic agents. Consistently demonstrates an ability to assess a situation, consider alternatives, and choose the appropriate course of action. May work with the Pharmacist in processing physician orders for medications by entering information in to the medication management system in an unverified status. Under the supervision of the pharmacist, assesses and formulates potential recommendations to physicians and provides information to physicians, nurses, and others regarding topics relating to the medication use system. Must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients being served.

Requirements

Must be attending an accredited school of Pharmacy.
Requires current and unrestricted pharmacy intern licensure in the state of practice. Incumbents in Arizona are also required to provide the AZ Board of Pharmacy Wallet Card at time of hire.
Must possess good organizational, problem solving and computer skills.
Must have good written and verbal communication skills for interfacing with all levels of Staff, physicians, patients and other contacts.
Must have knowledge of computer software, particularly medication management information system software, Microsoft applications and Automated dispensing systems.
Employees working at Banner Behavioral Health Hospital must possess an Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card at the time of hire and maintain the card for the duration of their employment. An Arizona Criminal History Affidavit must be signed upon hire.

Nice To Haves

Pharmacy technician experience preferred.
Additional training in specialty areas (such as automatic dispensing technology, controlled substances and satellite pharmacy) preferred.
Additional related education and/or experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Selects and/or prepares medications, under direct supervision, as indicated on the patient medication orders. Places medications in patient boxes or in designated area for pharmacist to review, sends/delivers medications to nursing units as required. Investigates missing medication requests Charges/credits patients for medications and intravenous solutions as appropriate. Restocks unused and credited returned medications.
Attends to customers and answers telephones in a courteous and timely manner. Serves as a liaison between the customer and the pharmacist.
Using automated dispensing technology or requisition, restocks medications to nursing and ancillary areas after checked by a pharmacist. Restocks medications to all areas outside automated dispensing technology which may include but not be limited to trays, code carts and emergency boxes. Adds users to the automatic dispensing technology database as per policy. Investigates discrepancies in automated dispensing technology. Troubleshoots automated technology malfunctions.
Identifies medications and other items for reorder as necessary to maintain a continuous inventory of medications and supplies. Receives, checks-in, and restocks medications ordered through wholesaler and other vendors.
Compounds specialty drug products. Repackages bulk medications into unit of use packaging. Completes accurate documentation of items compounded and repackaged.
Assists in preparing and labeling of intravenous medication orders including total parenteral nutrition products and chemotherapy products using proper sterile and aseptic technique.
Under the supervision of a pharmacist, utilizes education and pharmacy skills in assessing and formulating potential recommendations to physicians to help ensure quality and economical drug therapy, and positive patient outcomes. May provide information (under pharmacist supervision) to physicians, nurses, and others regarding medication therapy, medication systems, drug product guidelines, laws and regulations, medication formulary, and other topics related to the medication use system. Medication assessments may be performed with special consideration given to medication safety and the needs of the specific patient age groups served.
Performs quality control activities such as monthly nursing unit checks and pharmacy section checks in a timely manner. Completes documentation on refrigerator temperatures, intravenous hood cleaning, and equipment maintenance activities as required.
Participates in all aspects of medication use, including (1) selection, procurement and storage, (2) dispensing, (3) monitoring of all medications utilized. Internal customers may include Patients, Nurses, Licensed Independent Practitioners, Nursing Directors, Department Directors, Administrators and other health care team members for the purpose of integrating services, improving patient care and ensuring effective communication systems. External customers may include local, state, and national pharmacy organizations, Joint Commission, state Board of Pharmacy, colleagues and peers, educational institutions and pharmaceutical representatives.