Pharmacy Tech

Mission Community Hospital • Los Angeles, CA

115d • $1 - $5

About The Position

The Pharmacy Technician obtains and records patients’ initial medication histories, interviewing patients and/or their designees about prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal or nutritional supplements. The technician works under the supervision of the Director of Pharmacy and/or the pharmacy leadership team, assisting the Pharmacist in providing pharmaceutical services in accordance with professional practices, hospital policies and directives, applicable laws, and standards and requirements of JCAHO and local agencies. The role floats between the Pharmacy and Nursing Units.

Responsibilities include medication distribution and controlled-drug documentation; preparing sterile products, IV admixtures, unit-dose medications, and other pharmacy products; maintaining medication storage areas and stock; gathering and documenting medication-reconciliation information in the electronic medical record; and ordering, receiving, verifying, and distributing pharmacy inventory. The technician refers questions or issues about patient therapy to a pharmacist and performs other assigned duties.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Pharmacy Technician License in the State of California.
• Fire Card.
• Ability to negotiate the physical environment safely.
• Ability to translate and understand written communications and safely negotiate the physical environment.
• Ability to understand and translate auditory communications safely.

Nice To Haves

• PTCB certification.

Responsibilities

• Make medication-delivery rounds at least hourly.
• Refer inquiries or issues regarding patient therapy to a pharmacist.
• Deliver narcotics, maintain delivery records, provide controlled-drug records to nursing, bill narcotics, and alert pharmacists to administration irregularities according to policy and procedure.
• Compare drugs returned from patient-care areas with medication administration records and advise the pharmacist of irregularities.
• Prepare intravenous and other sterile products, including selecting and calculating ingredients, compounding or injecting products into appropriate containers, and packaging and labeling them using appropriate techniques and established procedures.
• Prepare pharmacy products according to quality-assurance criteria, including reconstituting products for dispensing.
• Prepare unit-dose medications in appropriate containers, label them correctly, and maintain the required logbook.
• Prepare oral, topical, and other products for distribution by calculating ingredient amounts, mixing components, selecting containers, packaging, and labeling according to established procedures.
• Prepare products in appropriate containers with labels that meet applicable regulations, standards, and organizational and departmental policies.
• Unpack, restock, and rotate pharmacy items in appropriate storage areas.
• Monitor hospital drug-storage areas, maintain refrigerator log sheets, check for expired medications, and ensure patients’ own medications are recorded and properly stored.
• Replace floor stock and Pyxis supplies on units as needed, including nursing units, emergency or surgery departments, and pharmacy storage areas.
• Interview patients and/or designated family members or caregivers as soon as possible after presentation to the Emergency Department or Medical Surgical/Intensive Care Unit.
• Accurately record current prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements in the electronic medical record.
• Record each medication’s name, dosage form, strength, dose, frequency, and day and time of the last dose taken.
• Clarify uncertainties and compile a complete medication history using information from patients or designees, community pharmacies, clinics, long-term-care facilities, and prior hospital encounters.
• Assist in collecting information for Hospital Performance Quality Improvement initiatives as directed.
• Order appropriate quantities of medications and supplies to maintain par levels, using appropriate vendors and established procedures.
• Receive and verify incoming pharmacy merchandise against purchase orders and other inventory records, document receipt, and distribute received documents.
• Notify the pharmacist of discrepancies in received orders, including quantity, quality, or damage.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical coverage
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Employer-paid life insurance
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off (18 days for eligible employees)
• Other voluntary benefits
• Potential differential pay of $1.00–$5.00 per hour depending on role or shift

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED