Technician-Pharmacy System

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Northeast Georgia Health System is rooted in a foundation of improving the health of our communities.

About the Role:

Job Summary

Under the direct supervision of a Staff Pharmacist, processes and fills physician orders. The employee is able to take care of patients in all age ranges. Employee performs duties in accordance with population specific guidelines and adheres policy and procedures of regulatory agencies. With a valid intern license, may also perform duties of a pharmacy intern as allowed by the Georgia State Board of Pharmacy. Serves as a liaison between pharmacy and nursing to foster medication reaching the patient in the required time frame. Also performs medication related duties on the nursing unit to meet the needs of nursing unit, the pharmacy and regulatory agencies. 
 

Minimum Job Qualifications

• Licensure or other certifications: Current registration with the Georgia Board of Pharmacy. First attempt of certification exam should be completed within six months of hire.  Certification must be obtained by the third attempt or at 12 months of hire.

• Educational Requirements: High School Diploma or GED

• Minimum Experience:

• Other:

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Preferred Licensure or other certifications:

• Preferred Educational Requirements:

• Preferred Experience: Hospital experience of at least one (1) year. In lieu of hospital experience, pharmacy tech school or pharmacy retail experience may be considered.  

• Other:

Job Specific and Unique Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must be able to perform Entry Level pharmacy technician functions efficiently and proficiently

• Basic math aptitude, ability to measure accurately, interpret instructions and carry them out

• Good computer skills

• Ability to organize workload and interpret priorities, attention to detail

• Ability to follow good compounding practices and protocol and USP 797 procedures

• Able to follow instructions from pharmacists, pharmacy leadership and management

• Ability to effectively communicate with pharmacy leadership, management and colleagues

Essential Tasks and Responsibilities

• Utilize Robot software to evaluate medication processing. Print Manual Pick lists with each batch of medications processed through the Robot. Stock robot with medications and supplies to maintain efficient work flow. Package medications according to guidelines for use in automated dispensing machines.  

• Maintain/Monitor Pacmed production during batch.

• Perform quality assurance methods to ensure medications are  prepared, packaged, and stored under guidelines provided by pharmacy department and regulatory agencies. Check Robot area for expired medications and store them for credit or destruction.

• Take ownership of problems by reporting and troubleshooting issues with vendors, hospital pharmacy staff, or other personnel to achieve desired outcomes.

• Work to ensure medication reaches the patient in the required time frame, often serving as a liaison between pharmacy and nursing.

• Follow department policies and procedures to minimize and detect any medication discrepancies.

• Follow phone etiquette to ensure effective communication. 

• Process credits upon return to pharmacy.

• Utilize computer system to answer nursing questions about medication orders as appropriate.

• Tube medications to correct units while adhering to departmental procedures. Retrieve credit medications from tube and process before the end of each shift.

• Refill crash carts and open heart trays per departmental procedures for pharmacist to check.  

• Adhere to established procedures for receiving, pricing, and stocking wholesale orders.

• Document required tasks per department procedures (i.e. temperature checks, cleaning tasks, etc.) as appropriate.

• Handle and maintain security of controlled substances as specified by regulatory agencies and NGMC pharmacy department policies.

• Process and label IV medications. Distributes IV medications to correct area within established time frame without error. 

• Communicate effectively with physicians, nursing staff, pharmacy personnel, and other hospital staff.

• Obtain and process non-formulary medications per NGMC pharmacy department policies.

• Check assigned areas for expired medications and conduct monthly inspections for accrediting body readiness.

• Fill dispensing cabinet requests in an accurate and timely manner. Process automated dispensing cabinet fills for nursing areas utilizing robotic automation. Deliver cabinet fills in automation software. Prepare and sort automated dispensing cabinet manual picks to enable pharmacist to check efficiently. Deliver medications to automated dispensing cabinets in a timely manner. Utilize barcode scanning technology to eliminate inaccurate placement in cabinet. Ensure narcotic envelope contains the correct quantity before addition to cabinet inventory to prevent future discrepancies. Process medication returns from nursing units.

• Assist Automation Coordinator with trouble  shooting and customer service issues concerning automated dispensing cabinets.

• Report automated dispensing cabinet issues to vendor, assist with trouble shooting and repair of automated dispensing cabinets when needed.

• Refer clinical, patient-care related questions to a pharmacist.

• Utilize knowledge of pharmacy policy and procedures to effectively answer questions.

• Perform all other special projects and duties as assigned.

• Volunteer and assist as needed during staffing emergencies and other occurrences that may create unusual staffing needs.

• Report all variances to the pharmacist and document in risk management reporting software. 

• Contribute to the productive and effective operation of the department.

• Perform other duties and functions as assigned.

• Train pharmacy personnel. Provide constructive feedback to appropriate supervisor or manager on employee performance. 

• Keep work space cleaned and organized.

• Responsible for fully reading and complying with department email(s) (i.e.: communication) upon receipt of such communication. Review email at a minimum of once per shift. 

• Complies with NGMC and pharmacy policies and procedures. 

• Receive and respond to direction from members of leadership. 

Area/Unit Specific Essential Tasks and Responsibilities (if applicable): MedCarousel

• Monitor Med Carousel medication inventory for out-of-date medications by performing scheduled cycle counts. Work with pharmacy leadership as necessary to identify and resolve formulary issues.

• Assist with Med Carousel order processing and picking during the course of the day.

• Assist buyers with ordering and maintaining appropriate quantities of medications for Med Carousel.

• Assist packager during the course of the day on high speed packaging device with duties such as but not limited to: Monitor paper outage and replacing as needed during the course of the day. Monitor for out-of-stock canisters and restarting the batch as necessary. Assist with rolling doses onto single dose cutting device and starting cutting device when needed. Assist with removing inventory from cutting device to free pegs

Area/Unit Specific Essential Tasks and Responsibilities (if applicable): Nursing unit based

• Retrieve routine medication from Pneumatic tube and deliver to the correct nurse server. Deliver refrigerated medications to the refrigerator. STAT & NOW medications are delivered to the nurse responsible for the patient’s care.

• Resolve and document missing medications. Responsible for ordering missing medications from central pharmacy and deliver to the appropriate location. Verify the quantity sent is sufficient until delivery of next cartfill.

• Facilitate transfer of medication for patients moving on or off the unit.

• Verify that cartfill medications are placed in the correct nurse server or patient drawer.

• Check refrigerator for discontinued IV medications or expired medications and facilitate their return to the pharmacy for reuse or destruction.

• Retrieve credit medication and return to the pharmacy for return to stock.

• Assist with automated dispensing cabinet restocking.

• Perform duties to foster timely preparation of IV admixtures.

• Serve as pharmacy representative to meet the customer service needs of the patient and nursing. Communicate to nursing professionally and courteously to expedite delivery of medications. Perform as a knowledge source for nursing on automated dispensing cabinet issues. Efficiently and promptly assist nursing with medication related issues.

• Perform medication reconciliation tasks as assigned. Obtain list of home medications. Update patient's medications in computer on admission under direct supervision of a licenses healthcare professional.

• MEDS (Prescription discharge program). Identify and interview patients for prescription discharge program. Communicate with employee/retail pharmacy, nursing and/or pharmacy co-workers to facilitate the exchange of prescription/ insurance information and delivery of prescriptions. Deliver prescriptions to the patient's bedside and collect the payment.
   

Area/Unit Specific Essential Tasks and Responsibilities (if applicable): AcuDose

• Working with the Automation Coordinator, processes, fills, and stocks medications to supply automated dispensing cabinets. Assists nursing with customer service issues related to automated dispensing cabinets. Performs audits to satisfy regulatory agencies requirements. Assist Automation Coordinator with installation and implementation of new dispensing cabinets.

Area/Unit Specific Essential Tasks and Responsibilities (if applicable): Robot Inventory

• Maintains adequate inventory of Robot medications by means of packaging devices.  Also monitors Robot statistics to ensure Robot is running efficiently and makes adjustments accordingly.   

• Package medications within an established time frame following state law and department policy and procedures to ensure barcoded products are available for dispensing. Initiate and complete daily batch for high speed packaging device. Prepare and supplemental batches needed for high speed packaging device. Obtain, interpret, and package non high speed packaging device items to ensure the robot and off line inventory is appropriately stocked at all times. Follow all department policy/ procedures to ensure that all packaged doses are labeled appropriately with all required elements and checked by a pharmacist prior to adding to any active inventory.

• Maintain robot, high speed packaging device, single dose cutter, bulk packager, and overwrap packager to ensure proper working order is maintained. Follow all manufacturer recommended cleaning procedures on all packages prior to any batches being packaged. Follow all manufacturer recommended maintenance procedures for robot and all packaging equipment and devices. Promptly report any malfunctions to the vendor help desk and the NGHS Automation Coordinator. Actively participate in problem resolution and follows up when malfunctions are discovered.

• Maintain appropriate canister mix for high speed packaging device. Coordinate new canister needs or repairs with the NGHS Automation Coordinator. Assist in adding new or repaired canisters when necessary.

• Maintain packaging area in a clean, well stocked manner to ensure all packaging supplies are ready when needed. Communicate medication and supply orders to pharmacy buyer daily and/or when needed, staying within budgetary confines. Order appropriate quantities of medications needed for shortages. Store all medications to be packaged in an orderly fashion to ensure medication safety is maintained at all times. Maintain cleanliness in all packaging areas. All areas dusted/ cleaned weekly or more frequently if needed. Package appropriate amounts of medications to ensure all inventory areas are adequately stocked at all times.

• Utilize all quality assurance methods to assure medications are prepared, packaged, and stored under guidelines provided by regulatory agencies. Maintain all records of packaged items as required by regulatory agencies. Follow all department policies and procedures to ensure all packaged medications are checked appropriately prior to being added to any active inventory. Follow all department policies and procedures to minimize and detect any medication discrepancies. Ensure no out-of-date medications are stocked in any of the inventory areas.

• Contribute to the efficient operation of the department. Coordinate any priorities with staff concerning medication needs. Act as a contact with vendor maintenance personnel to ensure all devices are at continuous service. Analyze the robot, packaged meds in Med Carousel, and all packager reports and make at minimum bi-weekly robot adjustments for the number of rods per medication and at minimum quarterly robot rod additions and deletions to ensure devices run at maximum efficiency. Organize and process medication needs by priority to maintain optimal inventory efficiency.

Physical Demands

• Weight Lifted: Up to 50 lbs, Frequently 31-65% of time

• Weight Carried: Up to 20 lbs, Frequently 31-65% of time

• Vision: Heavy, Constantly 66-100% of time

• Kneeling/Stooping/Bending: Frequently 31-65%

• Standing/Walking: Constantly 66-100%

• Pushing/Pulling: Frequently 31-65%

• Intensity of Work: Frequently 31-65%

• Job Requires: Reading, Writing, Reasoning, Talking, Keyboarding

Working at NGHS means being part of something special: a team invested in you as a person, an employee, and in helping you reach your goals. 

NGHS: Opportunities start here.

Northeast Georgia Health System is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not tolerate discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, disability, ethnicity, national origin, marital status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected classification or status.