Staff Pharmacist (Inpatient Pharmacy)

Augusta Health•Fishersville, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Inpatient Staff Pharmacist is responsible for the evaluation, preparation and dispensing of medications from the Augusta Health Inpatient Pharmacy in accordance with all applicable professional standards, facility procedures, and legal requirements. This role primarily involves working in the main pharmacy and its satellites, rotating through first and second shifts, every third weekend, and occasionally the third shift. While on duty, the pharmacist ensures all drug procurement, storage, preparation, distribution, and dispensing activities comply with laws, regulations, and national standards. The position also involves supervising pharmacy technicians, technician trainees, and pharmacist interns, checking their work for accuracy and quality, and overseeing the distribution and handling of controlled substances. The pharmacist must demonstrate knowledge of pharmaceutical principles, problem-solving skills, and assist with pharmacy automation and software technologies. They will review medication orders, identify and resolve pharmacy care problems, ensure medication regimens align with the Augusta Health Drug Formulary, and initiate drug therapy as authorized by protocols. Additionally, the role includes providing drug information, engaging in the training of pharmacy students, assisting with performance improvement activities, and identifying/reporting adverse drug events and medication errors. Pharmacists may also serve on committees and ensure organizational compliance with accreditation standards related to medication use systems.

Requirements

Licensed as a Pharmacist by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Effectively reads, writes, speaks, and understands English.
Possesses strong communication, interpersonal and customer service skills.
Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills; able to troubleshoot problems and suggest solutions.
Comfortable working in a busy, fast paced environment while staying organized and demonstrating attention to detail.
Ability to be a team leader and work within a team.
Willingness to learn new skills and adapt to change.
Demonstrates a high level of patience and compassion when working with patients and customers.
Ability to learn and use pharmacy software.

Responsibilities

Evaluate, prepare, and dispense medications from the Augusta Health Inpatient Pharmacy.
Rotate through first and second shift, every 3rd weekend and the occasional 3rd shift.
Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and national standards of practice for drug procurement, storage, preparation, distribution, and dispensing.
Supervise pharmacy technicians, technician trainees, and pharmacist interns, monitoring, prioritizing, and directing workflow.
Check technician work for accuracy, completeness, and quality, assuring appropriate techniques are utilized.
Oversee the distribution and handling of all controlled substances, including record keeping, documentation, accuracy, and resolution of medication discrepancies.
Demonstrate knowledge of metric weights and measures, pharmaceutics, medications mechanism of action, routes of administration, proper administration concentrations, appropriate rate of administration, and medication incompatibilities.
Demonstrate problem-solving skills regarding difficult medication therapy problems and pharmacy issues.
Assist in the maintenance and optimization of pharmacy automation and other software technologies.
Review medication orders for completeness, accuracy, and legality, determining the presence of medication therapy problems.
Display initiative in preventing, identifying, and resolving pharmacy care problems, including following up with appropriate health care professionals on medication-related issues.
Ensure that medication regimen is consistent with the Augusta Health Drug Formulary, and all medication use guidelines and policies.
Initiate drug therapy regimens as authorized by protocols, including the ordering of laboratory tests to monitor drug therapy for safety and efficacy.
Coordinate ordering, timing, and evaluation of serum drug concentrations, dose adjustments for altered renal function, intermittent dialysis, and continuous renal replacement therapy, convert routes of medication administration, modify therapy to standardized doses as needed and provide recommendations for pharmacokinetic follow-up for appropriate drugs.
Provide reliable drug information to physicians, nurses, patients, caregivers, and other members of the health care team.
Engage in the training of pharmacy students through participation in IPPE and APPE related activities.
Assist in the monitoring, prevention, reporting and coordination of performance improvement activities.
Identify and report adverse drug events, drug interactions, and medication errors.
Serve on department- and organization-wide committees and ensure organizational compliance with accreditation standards related to medication use systems.