Pharmacy Technician Specialist - Inpatient

Brown Medicine•Providence, RI

1d•$20 - $33•Onsite

About The Position

The Pharmacy Technician Specialist, Inpatient reports to the Pharmacy Manager, Director, or designee and works under the supervision of a pharmacist and direction of a Pharmacy Technician Supervisor. The role performs advanced technical functions in preparing, formulating, and packaging medications and pharmaceutical supplies, and assists with coordinating technician activities and workload in assigned areas. The position may serve in Central Operations, Central Sterile Compounding, or Operating Rooms. Employees are expected to model Brown University Health’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, and demonstrate the core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate. Across assigned areas, the specialist reviews operations and recommends and implements approved changes and technology to improve efficiency and pharmacy services. The role communicates with staff, supports recruitment, orientation, training, performance enhancement, competency assessment, and retention in collaboration with Pharmacy leadership, and provides workflow guidance and workload assistance. The specialist coordinates quality assurance, maintains appropriate medication storage and organization, participates in quality improvement and medication safety activities, reports medication errors through approved processes, and keeps Pharmacy leadership informed of significant personnel or operational issues. In Central Operations, the specialist is responsible for central pharmacy operations, including controlled-substance inventory, operating-room medication inventory, and medication-related quality assurance auditing. The role recommends workflow improvements, prepares and packages medications and supplies under pharmacist supervision, and assists with automated dispensing cabinet refills or maintenance, non-sterile compounding, inventory management, and delivery. In Central Sterile Compounding, the specialist performs sterile compounding of parenteral and other IV medications, including hazardous medications, under pharmacist supervision. Responsibilities include quality assurance audits, inventory management of sterile-compounding supplies, maintaining aseptic conditions and equipment, following hand hygiene and garbing procedures, and complying with USP 797, USP 800, NIOSH recommendations, and organizational procedures. The role demonstrates aseptic technique to new personnel, maintains competency documentation, coordinates required cleaning and environmental testing records, and ensures documentation and supplies are maintained. In Operating Rooms, the specialist recommends workflow improvements for operating rooms and peri-operative care areas, participates in quality improvement, and assists with optimizing medication inventory in automated dispensing cabinets such as Omnicell and A-Station. The role performs independently within department policies and practices and refers complex problems requiring policy or procedure clarification to a supervisor. There is no supervisory responsibility.

Requirements

High school graduation or equivalent degree.
Current unrestricted Rhode Island Pharmacy Technician licensure.
Current National Pharmacy Technician Certification (CPhT).
At least 2 years of experience as a pharmacy technician, including 1 year in a similarly diverse and operationally complex healthcare environment.
Solid computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite, email, Teams, and calendar applications; comfort using internet web applications and multiple pharmacy system applications.
Strong customer service presence and verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to maintain attention to detail in a fast-paced environment to avoid medication-dispensing errors.
Ability to multitask and reprioritize while maintaining accuracy and service standards.
For Central Sterile Compounding: obtain internal IV and oncology credentialing within 2 months of hire and maintain it at least semi-annually through successful completion of current competency assessments.
Ability to lift, carry, and maneuver medication delivery equipment and pharmaceutical inventories; grasp instruments and use finger dexterity.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
Visual acuity and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a personal computer, input data accurately, and navigate computer screens.
New hires must successfully pass a drug screen in accordance with Rhode Island State Law.

Nice To Haves

Completion of one to two years of college is preferred.

Responsibilities

Review and analyze operations on an ongoing basis and recommend and implement approved operational changes and technology to improve efficiency and pharmacy services.
Communicate with staff to facilitate the flow of operations.
Participate in recruitment, orientation, in-service training, performance enhancement, competency assessment, and retention of staff in collaboration with Pharmacy leadership.
Assist with coordinating technician activities and workflow, provide resource assistance and guidance, and assist with workload as needed.
Coordinate quality assurance activities and participate in quality assessment, improvement, and medication safety initiatives.
Ensure medication supply areas are neat and orderly, hazardous medications are appropriately segregated, and medications are stored under proper light, temperature, and sanitation conditions.
Report actual, prevented, and near-miss medication errors using approved processes and inform Pharmacy leadership of significant personnel or operational issues.
Prepare, formulate, and package medications and pharmaceutical supplies under pharmacist supervision, considering the age of patient populations served.
In Central Operations, manage controlled-substance and operating-room medication inventories and conduct medication-related quality assurance auditing; assist with dispensing cabinet refills or maintenance, non-sterile compounding, inventory management, and delivery.
In Central Sterile Compounding, perform sterile compounding of parenteral and other IV medications, including hazardous medications; conduct quality assurance audits and manage sterile-compounding supplies.
Maintain sterile compounding environments and equipment under aseptic conditions; follow required hand hygiene, garbing, cleaning, and environmental testing procedures and documentation.
Demonstrate aseptic technique and compounding workflow to new personnel and maintain required competency documentation.
In Operating Rooms, recommend workflow improvements, participate in quality improvement, and help optimize medication inventory in automated dispensing cabinets in operating rooms and peri-operative care areas.
Interact professionally with providers, pharmacists, nurses, peers, and support personnel.
Perform other duties as assigned.