General Summary Statement

The pharmacist is responsible and accountable for the provision of safe, effective, and prompt medication therapy. The pharmacist provides support of centralized and decentralized medication-use systems and collaborates with physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and other members of the healthcare team to deliver optimal medication therapy to patients with a broad range of disease states. Pharmaceutical care services include, but are not limited to, assessing patient needs, incorporating age and disease specific characteristics into drug therapy, adjusting care according to patient response, and providing clinical interventions to detect, mitigate, and prevent medication adverse events. Adheres to Pharmacy Policies and Procedures and organizational goals and objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Demonstrates the skills necessary to provide job duties as appropriate for the age of the patients served, including neonatal, pediatric and adult patients. This includes monitoring dosing for patients based on age, weight and renal and hepatic function.

2. Communicates effectively and appropriately with healthcare providers and caregivers (physicians, nurses, etc.) and assures continuity of pharmaceutical care between shifts and amongst staff.

3. Monitors drug therapy for appropriate dosing, frequency, drug-interactions, contraindications and allergies.

4. Provides current drug information which includes a thorough understanding of new medications, dosage requirements, indications, contraindications, pharmacology, pharmacokinectics, side effects and adverse reactions and precautions.

5. Performs therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacokinetic dosing of medications. This includes monitoring of all supratherapeutic drug levels and consultation for vancomycin and aminoglycoside dosing.

6. Documents all clinical interventions utilizing clinical surveillance and documentation software.

7. Performs drug order clarifications on targeted medications.

8. Interprets physicians' orders, corrects and/or clarifies any ambiguous, incomplete, or erroneous orders by direct communication with the physician. Informs physician of non-formulary and restricted items as they are ordered and recommends appropriate substitution.

9. Supervises technician functions. Is knowledgeable of technician responsibilities and time commitments. Checks accuracy of technician distribution functions in order to assist and/or fill-in when workload dictates.

10. Participate in pharmacy operations, medication dispensing, and oversees pharmacy technician activities.

11. Maintains proficiency in hospital computer systems and pharmacy automation technology.

12. Checks Omnicell medication restock before delivered to the floor by a pharmacy technician.

13. Processes controlled substances from the Omnicell Controlled Substance Machine. Alerts system analyst(s) of any discrepancies. Reviews Omnicell CSM reports for accuracies in floor deliveries.

14. Oversees sterile product preparation and ensures compliance with USP 797/800 regulations.

15. Verifies physician orders accurately and in a timely fashion. Understands all CPOE functionality and knows when to correct an inappropriate entry which may include contacting the ordering physician.

16. Participates in the training of new employees.

17. Adheres to federal and state laws, regulations of governing agencies such as Joint Commission, DEA, OSHA, etc. and hospital policies regarding the drug use, documentation, and control.

18. Adheres to OSHA standards for pharmacy when preparing IV chemotherapy orders.

Education Training and Experience

Must be a graduate of a school of pharmacy. At least one-year hospital experience preferred.

Licensure/Certification

PA Pharmacy license required.