Pharmacy Technician I

POSITION SUMMARY

Performs various duties that provide dispensing support to the pharmacists.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education:

1. High school education or equivalent.

Experience:

1. No previous experience required, but prior experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

1. Proficiency in mathematics.  A mathematics test will be administered in the Pharmacy.
2. Interaction required with other pharmacist assistants, pharmacists, providers, nurses, other health system employees, and medical sales representatives.

License/Certification/Registration:

None

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Receives direct supervision from the Manager Pharmacy Services, supervisors, and staff pharmacists.  Receives guidance from the lead pharmacist assistant. 

SUPERVISION GIVEN

None

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Maintains security and proper storage of sterile products
   1. Maintains proper storage of reconstituted injectables and final products.
   2. Delivers products to the patient units maintaining security and proper storage.
2. Processes provider orders.
   1. Maintains hard-copy downtime chronological records for each patient.
3. Provides services to Pharmacy customers.
   1. Receives telephone communication from health system staff, provider offices, and the public.  Collects pertinent details and triages call to appropriate staff for follow up when indicated.
   2. Tends the pharmacy doors and service window.
4. Performs unit-dose drug supply processing.
   1. Accurately fills patient medications using health system refill lists.
   2. Adjusts each patient's account based on returned doses when necessary.
   3. Maintains current patient medications using the health system reports.
   4. Delivers the unit dose medications to the patient units and transfers new drug supply per department procedures.
   5. Delivers medications to each patient room pass-through or in-room storage cabinet.
      1. Handles interactions with health system staff, patients, and visitors while delivering into rooms.
      2. Interacts with patient care staff to help resolve any storage or delivery issues.
5. Keeps drug supplies stocked/secured. 
   1. Selects drugs and supplies based on floor stock usage from automated dispensing machines (ADM) reports.
   2. Replenishes drug stock on all patient units.
6. Performs billing functions.
   1. Performs charging and crediting functions per Corporate Compliance guidelines.
   2. Performs charging and crediting functions of meds for discharges when necessary.
7. Delivers Class II Controlled Substances (CS) to the nursing stations.
   1. Delivers Class II drugs to ADM after the drugs are dispensed by a Pharmacist.
   2. Completes all electronic entries. 
   3. Returns all ADM receipts to the Pharmacist.
8. Maintains Inventory.
   1. Performs monthly check of assigned drug storage locations throughout the health system for drugs approaching expiration, proper storage and quantity.
   2. Performs monthly check of assigned locations in the pharmacy for drugs approaching outdate and proper storage.
   3. Monitors internal drug stock for quantity on hand and orders additional supplies through the Buyer. 
   4. Restocks front-line dispensing areas from reserve stock as needed.
9. Performs and oversees drug repackaging.
   1. Maintains and operates the solid unit-dose repackaging system
   2. .Maintains and operates the liquid unit-dose repackaging system.
   3. Manufactures low-volume liquid unit-dose products using Medi-dose system or oral syringes. 
   4. Ensures quality control of final product packages and labels.
   5. Establishes proper expiration dating based on product stability and repackaging mechanism.
   6. Maintains repackaging log per regulations.
10. Collects a patient medication history
    1. Collects a patient medication history on all patients in the Emergency Department (with a primary focus on admitted patients) by discussion with patient, referencing home medication list, calling and involving external resources to provide the physician a complete medication list for review.
    2. Speaks with the patient and takes a medication history.
    3. Resources patient’s medication list. 
    4. References external resources.
    5. Documents the drug, dose, and frequency in the electronic record.
    6. Participates in the development of policies and procedures to improve the medication reconciliation process. 
    7. Collaborates with the patient, significant others, and health ca