Pharmacy Technician, Intermediate

UPMC•Harrisburg, PA

13d

About The Position

UPMC Harrisburg is seeking a full-time Pharmacy Technician Intermediate to assist with preparing and delivering medications to patients in a fast-paced environment. The role includes rotating daylight and evening shifts. Applicants will be placed into the appropriate job title and salary based on their individual experience and education. UPMC describes its wages as competitive and its workplace as supportive and collaborative, with opportunities to grow. The technician supports medication filling and preparation, distribution, investigational-drug processes, inventory management, recordkeeping, and departmental quality improvement. Work includes preparing sterile products, including cytotoxic and hazardous drugs, and handling controlled substances in compliance with applicable policies and regulations. The technician also communicates with hospital personnel, patients, and visitors, referring drug-information questions to staff pharmacists. The stated baseline qualification is completion of high school or equivalent, or completion of an accredited pharmacy technician program and two years of pharmacy technician experience. Registration and other clearances depend on the state and facility where the technician works.

Requirements

Completion of a high school diploma or equivalent, or completion of an accredited pharmacy technician program and two years of pharmacy technician experience.
PA State Board of Pharmacy registration is required for all Pennsylvania locations; registration requirements depend on the state where the technician works.
A Pharmacy Intern license exempts an individual from registering with the State of Pennsylvania, according to the posting.
NY Registered Pharmacy Technician (RPhT) or PA Pharmacy Tech Registration, as applicable to the work location.
Act 34 clearance.
A valid driver's license and automotive insurance are required under the posting's PA-specific business-unit criteria.
Non-licensed pharmacy technicians working in a New York facility are not permitted to perform sterile compounding.
Pharmacy technicians performing sterile compounding in New York facilities must have certification from a nationally accredited pharmacy technician certification program (CPhT) and be registered with the New York State Board of Pharmacy.

Responsibilities

Assist with filling medication orders by correctly labeling, counting, and stocking medications, and initialing and dating products as required.
Assist in preparing oral and injectable medications, including intravenous admixtures and total parenteral nutrition (TPN), for the correct patient and administration time.
Use proper technique when preparing medications, including aseptic technique for sterile products and cytotoxic and hazardous drugs such as chemotherapy.
Participate in medication distribution, including medication cassettes, emergency medication carts, and controlled substances, in accordance with department policy and state and federal requirements.
Retrieve discontinued medications and return them, including issuing credits if necessary, to the appropriate pharmacy area.
Develop and maintain positive, productive service relationships during medication distribution.
Assist with procurement, accountability, storage, preparation, and distribution of investigational and study drugs.
Provide and receive information by telephone, in person, or in writing with hospital personnel, patients, and visitors; refer drug-information questions to staff pharmacists.
Ensure medications throughout applicable areas are safely and securely stored in accordance with Department of Health, The Joint Commission, and State Board of Pharmacy regulations.
Comply with applicable federal and state laws, including HIPAA; regulations such as OSHA; and PBM contracting requirements such as FWA and CMS.
Maintain a clean, organized, adequately stocked work environment.
Use computer skills to process and maintain patient information and records, and maintain the pharmacy computer system as required.
Maintain required documentation, including eyewash, refrigerator, and perpetual inventory logs.
Finalize sales using a cash register and follow cash-handling policies and procedures.
Procure and maintain adequate daily inventory in applicable areas, including pharmacy medication stock rooms, automated medication carousels, and automated dispensing machines.
Maintain and update automated medication stations, unit and department stock, emergency boxes, and crash carts.
Maintain a high level of accuracy in controlled-substance records and distribution; audit records and ensure controlled substances are stored and dispensed in compliance with applicable regulations.
Participate in departmental quality-improvement activities to evaluate and continually improve pharmaceutical care, as reflected by operational and patient-care indicators.