Lexington Regional Health Center
Title: Pharmacy Technician
Supervisor: Director of Pharmacy
Department: Pharmacy
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Principle duties and responsibilities
1. Mixes and prepares medications ordered, both hazardous and non-hazardous products. Once checked by a pharmacist, delivers medications to automated dispensing cabinet or appropriate nursing staff member for administration.
2. Reconciles charges on medications in all areas of the hospital to ensure documentation, completeness and accuracy.
3. Calculates doses when required and fills out appropriate corresponding ancillary visit paperwork to be verified by a pharmacist.
4. Records scheduled inventory that comes into the pharmacy and leaves the pharmacy to ensure accurate scheduled inventory records.
5. Checks, removes, disposes and orders replacements for outdated medications. Orders medications and supplies needed in the Pharmacy and in other medication storage areas throughout the hospital.
6. Completes assigned duties for each year's departmental Quality Initiatives.
7. Participates in department activities as required by the Director of Pharmacy.
8. Appropriately packages medications to be dispensed in accordance with the Nebraska Pharmacy Act rules and regulations.
9. Ensure patients and visitors follow current infection control guidelines.
10. Participates in patient care activities that could include blood exposure and risk to bloodborne pathogens (e.g., lacerations, handling of blood-contaminated specimens, etc.)
11. Responsible for safe bagging and disposal of hazardous drug waste.
12. Responsible for following safe-injection practices.
13. Responsible for ensuring the environment meets appropriate governing body standards.
14. Maintains patient and staff safety through the use of patient safety tools (Teamstepps, Just Culture, etc.).
15. Regular attendance at the assigned work location is required.
16. Performs all other duties as assigned.
Minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities
1. Basic mathematical knowledge to calculate correct volumes of drugs to be dispensed according to the prescribed dosage and to calculate patient charges; ability to read, spell and write to accurately process medication orders, prepare medication labels and maintain records; basic computer skills as is typically acquired through the completion of a high school diploma or equivalent.
2. Must be certified by a national certifying entity approved by the Nebraska Board of Pharmacy within 12 months of employment, if not already certified. Must be 18 years of age and shall not have been convicted of a drug related felony or misdemeanor.
3. Requires knowledge of hospital policies, effective use of hospital computer system pertinent to pharmacy, work flow in the Pharmacy, etc. as typically acquired through six months relevant work experience in a hospital pharmacy.
4. Current Basic Life Support certification via American Heart Association required.
5. Attention to detail when mixing intravenous medications, filling patient medication drawers, etc.
6. Analytical skills necessary to calculate proper doses of medications for all age groups which will then be verified by a pharmacist, assessing proper inventory levels, etc.
7. Ability to effectively interact both verbally and in writing.
8. Ability to complete reports and correspondence at a professional level
9. Ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Communication skills necessary to exchange factual information regarding pharmacy activities, which involves ordinary tact.
10. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with regard to protected and sensitive information.
11. Ability to immediately respond to common inquiries and complaints from patients, employees, regulatory agencies and other healthcare facilities.
12. Successful completion of required knowledge and training of standard precaution and transmission protocols and when to apply during principle duties and responsibilities.
Working conditions
1. Works in a well-lit and ventilated work area with minimal exposure to excessive dust, temperature, etc.
2. Work environment includes frequent exposure to noise and hazardous and toxic substances The compounding of NIOSH-listed antineoplastic medications is a required responsibility of Pharmacy Technicians within our organization. Closed-System Transfer Devices, proper garbing of Personal Protective Equipment, and proper use of Engineering Controls (i.e., the Biological Safety Cabinet located in the negative pressure segregated compounding area) are required when compounding antineoplastic medications to ensure undue exposure to hazardous substances.
3. Required to spend up to approximately 30% of work time seated and 70% of the time providing patient care and other pharmacy-related tasks. Shelves in the department are required to be stocked 3 times per week. Shelf heights range from 6 inches from the ground up to 81 inches high. A 12-inch step stool is in the department to be used to reach the highest shelves. 20-pound boxes, up to 5% of work time, are required to be stocked from floor to waist level in department and negligible weights up to 1-2 pounds are placed onto higher shelves. A med cart is used to distribute medications to the hospital, requiring up to 38 pounds of horizontal force to push over the thresholds into rooms and 25 pounds of horizontal force in the hallways. Med cart is used up to 200 feet in distance from pharmacy area for distribution. Required to transfer a patient for better positioning, 35 pounds is required to be lifted for transferring. Frequently walks distance of 500 feet to clinic location to transport small quantities of medications and check refrigerator/freezer temperatures.
4. Exposure to chemicals and other hazards related to patient care. Appropriate safety precautions, such as safety glasses, gloves, etc. must be used to minimize risk of injury.
5. Direct exposure to body substances during patient care activities and on contaminated surfaces such as patient equipment.
Management responsibilities
1. None
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Job description statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this job title. They are not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.
