Pharmacy Technician - Central Inpatient Operations

Yale New Haven Health•New Haven, CT

10d

About The Position

The Pharmacy Technician performs technical duties associated with delivering pharmaceutical services within the scope of practice and as dictated by departmental needs. Duties include medication distribution, inventory management, cross-functional pharmacy operations, and use of pharmacy technology. The role supports pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical care while prioritizing patient safety, patient-centered care, fiscal responsibility, and the organization’s values and standards of professional behavior. The technician prepares, packages, labels, and delivers medications; maintains medication storage and inventory; and may work in specialized areas such as IV admixture, purchasing, operating room, pediatrics, investigational drug service, compounding, packaging, oncology, specialty pharmacy, or medication history. The role also involves responding to inquiries from nursing, providers, and ancillary staff, maintaining required records, and following applicable safety, regulatory, infection-control, and HIPAA requirements. Coverage extends across day, evening, and overnight shifts. The employee may be expected to work on-call shifts and, when scheduled, is expected to work during inclement weather as essential personnel.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 6 months of pharmacy technician or healthcare experience; successful completion of an academic or military pharmacy technician training program is considered equivalent to one year of pharmacy technician experience.
Current registration/licensure, or eligibility for registration/licensure before the start date, as a Pharmacy Technician in the state of employment.
Active Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certification or equivalent, on or within 12 months of the hire date.
Excellent customer service and communication skills.
Proficiency in mathematical calculations.
Ability to work effectively with computers and technology equipment, including basic troubleshooting.
Ability to walk, sit, stand, and crouch during daily tasks.
Ability to lift or move up to 10 pounds regularly, up to 25 pounds frequently, and up to 50 pounds occasionally.

Nice To Haves

College degree.
Successful completion of an academic or military hospital pharmacy technician training course.
Hospital experience.

Responsibilities

Accurately and efficiently pick, prepare, package, label, and deliver medications to appropriate patient-care-unit storage areas, including automated dispensing cabinets and medication refrigerators.
Use appropriate packaging for medication products, such as bags, vials, bottles, jars, syringes, and oral syringes.
Fulfill, sort, and deliver medication orders in a timely manner, including STAT orders, new orders, refills, stock-outs, transfers, and recalls.
Maintain optimal medication storage conditions, appropriate par levels, stock rotation, cleanliness, and temperature, while minimizing medication errors and stock-outs.
Assist pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical care and replenish medications intended for emergency trays, including code carts, anesthesia trays, and tackle boxes.
Handle and dispose of hazardous and non-hazardous waste appropriately and maintain a clean, well-stocked work environment.
Complete pharmacy service tasks within established timeframes and identify and escalate concerns related to pharmacy care and medication distribution.
Maintain medication inventory at appropriate par levels; rotate stock based on expiration dates and usage; remove expired or soon-to-expire medications from distribution; and accurately receive and replenish wholesaler medications.
Use hospital-specific handheld tablets with barcode-scanning functionality.
Demonstrate proficiency in medication distribution and automation/technology processes, and in one or more additional pharmacy practice areas.
Perform calculations and product manipulation, dilution, or compounding to prepare and label unit-dose oral solids, liquids, or injectables according to policy and regulatory standards.
Prepare hazardous-category products in accordance with departmental safety guidelines, OSHA regulations, and industry standards.
Document manufactured medications, controlled-substance movement, packaged medications, and investigational drugs as required by departmental policy and regulations.
Practice aseptic technique, infection control, and universal precautions as instructed for the work area.
Use and troubleshoot pharmacy technology, including electronic medical records, automated dispensing systems, inventory software, carousels, packaging software, workflow managers, barcode-labeling programs, and RFID technology as applicable.
Respond to inquiries from nursing, providers, and ancillary staff by telephone, in person, or electronically; triage and follow up appropriately and professionally.
Follow HIPAA guidelines in all forms of communication and maintain appropriate records for compounding, packaging, and controlled-substance distribution.
Support departmental goals aligned with YNHHS strategic goals.