Job Objective:
Under the direction of the Assistant Director of Pharmacy Clinical Services, Assistant Director of Pharmacy Operational Services and Director of Pharmacy Services, the medication safety pharmacist is primarily responsible for serving as the Medication Safety Leader at Antelope Valley Medical Center (AVMC). The medication safety pharmacist will also represent the pharmacy in opioid stewardship and substance use disorder services throughout the institution. Emphasis will be placed on several areas including multi-disciplinary administrative, regulatory reporting, education, and teaching duties. The medication safety pharmacist will oversee the medication safety plan, develop and implement error-prevention strategies, participate in the design and implementation of organization-wide medication use technology, oversee processes regarding medication errors and system failures, and ensure the organization’s medication use processes meet state and national standards. Clinical functions shall include providing patient care as it relates to drug therapy; reviewing, researching, and developing drug protocols for patients requiring support for treatment of acute on chronic pain or substance use disorder in the inpatient setting based upon current medical literature and clinical experience. The specialist researches, evaluates, and compares medical information and provides other clinical services for the healthcare team and the public. Provides clinical pharmacy services, including consultative services to patients and health care providers. Performs clinical functions to ensure optimal pharmaceutical care is provided. Facilitates optimal drug utilization.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Performs all duties and functions of a clinical pharmacist specialist in compliance with all California and Federal pharmacy laws and regulations.
- Oversees the activities of pharmacy technicians and interns.
- Assists in the orientation and training of other departmental personnel.
- Oversees all activities related to medication safety processes including:
o Serving as chair for the Medication Error Reduction Plan (MERP) committee
o Acting as a liaison between the quality team and pharmacy services
o Acting as the subject matter expert in medication safety throughout the organization
o Performing medication safety rounds
o Assessing adverse drug events and medication errors and developing appropriate action plans, including reporting to appropriate regulatory bodies as necessary
- Precepts pharmacy residents, pharmacy graduates, and students from accredited Colleges of Pharmacy in clinical clerkship experiences.
- Maintains professional work habits by organizing workload, setting priorities, completing assignments in a timely manner, utilizing resources appropriately, complying with department program standards and adapts well to change.
- Obtains medication histories, maintains and monitors medication profiles.
- Assists with drug formulary management and dissemination of drug information throughout the institution.
- Provides primary care and consultative services to patients and health care providers to ensure optimal drug therapy.
- Reviews medication orders to ensure accurate, rational, and cost effective drug therapy; this includes choice of appropriate drug, indication, route and rate of administration.
- Assesses patient’s drug therapy; performs pharmacokinetic analysis with appropriate adjustments in dosing, and identifies monitoring parameters and therapeutic outcomes in consultation with the patients and providers.
- Assists with the development of programs designed to increase pharmacists’ involvement in promotion of rational drug therapy in the organization; such programs may include pharmacist-regulated drug monitoring protocols, regularly scheduled in-services for hospital staff on medication safety, opioid stewardship, or substance use disorder therapy topics, and improved monitoring and interventions in drug therapy.
- Participates in the development and production of protocol/guidelines, policies and procedures, and other staff development programs for pharmacy or other health care providers.
- Participates in medication use evaluation (MUE), quality focus reviews, and adverse drug reaction (ADR) activities, and in the planning, implementation and evaluation of other programs designated by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee.
- Participates in appropriate committees.
- Maintains clinical expertise through consistent literature review, attendance at appropriate seminars, and active membership in state or national pharmacy organizations.
Non-Essential Duties:
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Other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge
- Knowledge of pharmacy systems.
- Fully understands and can apply all state and federal laws and regulations related to the practice of pharmacy.
- Possesses excellent knowledge of current drug therapies, drug interactions, pharmacokinetics, and sociologic principles necessary to assist in the safe and effective utilization of drugs by patients.
- Demonstrate knowledge and proficiency regarding special needs and behaviors of age or ethnic specific groups.
- Knowledge of performance improvement methodology and tools, including root cause analysis, failure mode and effects analysis, cause-and-effect diagramming, process-flow mapping, and methods for monitoring projects and measuring progress of performance improvement initiatives.
Skills
- Must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills and demonstrate the ability to collaborate with other health care professionals.
- Demonstrates strong analytical skills in gathering information from users, defining work problems, designing a system of procedures to resolve problems, and deciphering and application of statistical analyses.
Abilities
- Must possess ability to develop and implement medication safety related programs, policies, and protocols.
- Develops new ideas and/or systems with innovation and creativity.
- Able to effectively train and educate staff both in Pharmacy and other departments.
- Ability to adhere with AVMC Policies and Procedures and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of corporate compliance rules and regulations.
- Ability to adhere to safety rules and regulations and maintain the confidentiality of patient, organization, and department information.
- Ability to conform to AVMC Standards of Excellence and supports the values and mission statement established by the AVMC Board of Directors.
- Ability to conform with and support hospital quality assurance and improvement guidelines.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with other health care professionals.
- Ability to work independently and demonstrate effective decision making skills.
AVMC Values: All AVMC employees will effectively demonstrate these values:
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Patients Come First – We listen actively and communicate with our patients and families, placing safety as a top priority.
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Accountability & Ownership – We fully complete tasks, are transparent, effectively communicate, and recognize that what we do reflects on us.
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Teamwork – We build trusting relationships, promote a sense of community, and are respectful of everyone. Success is about the whole team.
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Integrity & Honesty – We tell the truth at all times, speak up when something is wrong, and do the right thing when no one is looking.
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Excellence – We take pride in our work, are goal-oriented, and on a never-ending quest for top tier quality.
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Initiative & Innovation – Our can-do attitudes, creativity, and resourcefulness empower us to improve the patient’s experience, solve our own problems, make timely decisions, and look for opportunities to add value.
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Tenderness & Compassion – We have genuine empathy, show kindness, and encourage and advocate for each other.
Education and Experience:
Education
- Doctor of Pharmacy degree from accredited School of Pharmacy.
Experience
- Prefer 1 year of residency (PGY1) or equivalent years of acute care clinical pharmacy experience.
- Prefer second year (PGY2) residency or fellowship focused in medication safety or equivalent inpatient medication safety experience.
Required Licensure and/or Certifications:
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Must have a current State of California Pharmacist License or be able to be licensed in California within 90 days of hire.
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Must have current BLS certification based on the Red Cross requirements or obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
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Must have current ACLS certification or obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
AVMC Conduct/Compliance Expectations:
- Ability to adhere with AVMC Attendance and Punctuality Policy.
- Ability to adhere with AVMC Leaves of Absence Policy.
- Ability to adhere with AVMC Paid Time Off (PTO) Policy.
- Ability to adhere to the department dress code.
- Ability to organize work and establish priorities.
- Ability to expand on own initiative in performance of duties.
- Skill and ability to follow the telephone etiquette/standards.
- Ability to function effectively under pressure and meet time parameters.
- Ability to communicate effectively while maintaining good working relationships with co-workers, managers and other hospital staff.
- Ability to adhere to the normal standards of courtesy and conduct as defined under the rules of hospitality at AVMC.
- Ability to maintain the confidentiality of patients, hospital and department information.
- Ability to adhere to safety rules and regulations.
- Safely and effectively use all the equipment necessary to carry out duties.
- Ability to interpret and function under hospital and department policies and procedures.
- Conforms with required and appropriate accreditation and regulatory requirements.
- Conforms with and supports hospital quality assurance and improvement guidelines.
- Ability to participate effectively in department and hospital staff education.
- Display a willingness to work as a team player.
- Ability to give and support the highest level of patient/customer satisfaction at all times.
- Supports and adheres to the values and mission statement established by the AVMC Board of Directors.
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the Compliance & Integrity Program and its established policies.
- Ability to follow the Code of Conduct.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:
- Works primarily in an office environment.
- Requires ability to stand, sit or walk around department and facility most of the day.
- Some bending, lifting less than 20 lbs and reaching above the shoulder.
- Typing, answering phones and working around automated equipment.
- Potential for exposure to dangerous or toxic medications.
- May need PPE depending on environment working in or task being performed.
A detailed description of the physical requirements of this job is maintained in the Employee Health Department.
NOTE: THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK PERFORMED BY PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO THIS JOB. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL RESPONSIBILITIES, SKILLS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE PERSONNEL SO CLASSIFIED.
Education and Experience:
Education
- Doctor of Pharmacy degree from accredited School of Pharmacy.
Experience
- Prefer 1 year of residency (PGY1) or equivalent years of acute care clinical pharmacy experience.
- Prefer second year (PGY2) residency or fellowship focused in medication safety or equivalent inpatient medication safety experience.
Required Licensure and/or Certifications:
-
Must have a current State of California Pharmacist License or be able to be licensed in California within 90 days of hire.
-
Must have current BLS certification based on the Red Cross requirements or obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
-
Must have current ACLS certification or obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
