Pharmacist Staff

St. Elizabeth Healthcare•Florence, KY

About The Position

At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, every role supports our mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care to the communities we serve. For more than 160 years, St. Elizabeth Healthcare has been a trusted provider of quality care across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. We’re guided by our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve and by our values of excellence, integrity, compassion, and teamwork. Our associates are the heart of everything we do. Job Summary: Provide Pharmaceutical Care to patients with an emphasis on clinical monitoring and therapeutic interventions that improve patient outcome. Provide information and educational programs to customers. Assist with the maintenance of Performance Improvement processes to constantly improve our Medication Use Process. Assure dispensing accuracy and direct pharmacy workflow to assure accurate and timely dispensing and distribution Demonstrate respect, dignity, kindness, and empathy in each encounter with all associates, patients, families, visitors and other employees regardless of cultural background.

Requirements

Graduate from ACPE accredited pharmacy college
Current US pharmacist license in the state where work is being performed
Problem solving and critical thinking skills
Good communication skills
Familiar with Current Practice Standards (ASHP)
Previous Hospital Experience

Responsibilities

Medication Order Verification: Reviews /interprets medication orders from licensed prescribers or their agents, insuring that they meet the requirements of a complete medication order. Insures that the medication and the ordered dose are appropriate for the patient’s condition. Assesses drug interactions, allergy alerts, duplication of therapy and potential therapeutic interactions. Obtains clarification from the prescriber for any medication order that is incomplete or that has the potential to result in a suboptimal therapeutic outcome. Provide the prescriber with appropriate therapeutic alternatives. Performs a second verification of medication orders for pediatric patients and of chemotherapy orders.
Therapeutic Clinical Monitoring – Actively participates in the ongoing monitoring of medication therapy in compliance with approved Collaborative Care Agreements and medication management protocols. Directs medication therapy within the bounds defined by Collaborative Care agreements and protocols. Contacts prescribers as needed with therapeutic alternatives to optimize the patient’s care. Documents medication therapy assessments and recommendations in the patient’s chart using iVents and progress notes, keeping the interdisciplinary team appraised of pharmacy related assessments and interventions.
Compounds and Dispenses Pharmaceuticals: Insures timely dispensing of appropriate quantities of the correct medication. Supervises compounding according to USP standards, verification of ingredient compatibility, verification of content, and verification of appropriate labeling including expiration dating. Checks all medication prior to final dispensing for direct patient administration, for distribution via automated dispensing cabinets and for floorstock dispensing. Uses barcode technology when possible to insure accurate dispensing. Supervises the repackaging of medication including verification and documentation of lot numbers, expiration dates, and the names of individuals involved in the process.
Supervises and Directs Interns and Technicians: Provides active direct supervision and mentoring of Interns and Technicians as guided by ICARE values. This includes monitoring timely completion of tasks, redirection of staff to meet patient needs and encouraging use of the AIDET model in interaction with staff, patients and visitors. Reports behavior not responsive to direct intervention to the leadership team.
Medication Use Safety Initiatives: Detects and reports in a timely manner variances in dispensing on internal variance report forms or in Midas as is appropriate. Identifies opportunities and participates in departmental efforts to increase the safe use of medications (e.g. clear labeling, new SALA medications and Epic improvements / corrections). Identifies and reports suspected adverse drug reactions in Midas.
Controlled Substance Accountability: Participates in and supervises the receipt, dispensing and distribution of controlled substances through the use of Pyxis C-II Safe, Pyxis Medstation 4000, internal perpetual inventories, Pyxis Anesthesia Stations, Anesthesia Boxes and anesthesia waste logs. Insures inventories are accurate, reconciles anesthesia waste and participates in the resolution of controlled substance inventory discrepancies including provision of Pyxis activity reports to nursing. Reconciles the Pyxis vs. CII Safe report to insure the appropriate disposition of controlled substances to Pyxis Medstations.
Contributes to the Positive Overall Financial Status of the Department: Encourages prescriber compliance with formulary restrictions and therapeutic interchanges. Assures formulary adherence and processes non-formulary requests in the appropriate manner. Suggests appropriate therapeutic alternatives for non-formulary requests. Actively participates in defined IV to PO conversions. Makes efficient use of time, hands off work when appropriate to minimize overtime.
Drug Information / Staff Development: Provides accurate, adequate and timely drug information to the medical staff, nursing staff, and patients. Serves as a preceptor or provides advice to Pharmacy Residents and Pharmacy Interns. Develops staff education programs
Maintains Professional Competency: Maintains licensure. Completes all departmental competency/skills assessment requirements. Maintains current knowledge of pharmacy practice. Seeks to develop and maintain skills in areas of specialized practice.
Performs other duties as assigned.