Pharmacy Technician Trainee

Under direct supervision of a pharmacist, provides technical support to the pharmacists and the Department of Pharmacy Services. Provides confidential and frontline support to customers at the pharmacy window, and waiting rooms.

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health insurance, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

Key Essential Functions and Accountabilities of the Job

• Supports the pharmacist

  • Retrieves medications from shelf of Scriptpro robot (if available), counts medications, and labels containers under the supervision of the pharmacist. 

  • Cleans and refills the Scriptpro robot, and Kirby Lester daily and as needed. 

  • Orders and replaces stock in the pharmacy

  • Retrieves and interprets medication orders; performs pharmaceutical calculations; enters orders into pharmacy computer system for pharmacist’s review. 

  • Labels, fills and delivers medication to appropriate patient care locations. 

• Maintains equipment and performs required recordkeeping

  • Conducts inventory, orders, receives and stocks drugs and supplies.

  • Performs restocks and cleans the IV Hood before and after compounding, cleans the entire IV room daily and performs other scheduled cleanings.

  • Maintains log of hood pressures and notifies maintenance of insufficient air flow.

  • Refills the emergency room Pyxis machine and files proper paperwork.

  • Fills out appropriate paperwork when preparing and delivering controlled substances. 

  • Receives and triages information requests; researches and provides information where appropriate, referring other inquiries to the pharmacist. 

  • Retrieves expired, recalled or discontinued medications from stock and patient areas; discards or returns to stock as appropriate; completes corresponding documentation

  • Assists in documentation of unit-specific procedures and quality assurance activities under Pharmacist review.

• Assist customers

  • Answers telephone and takes requests for prescription refills from patients. Contacts patient’s providers when prescription has no refills.

  • Communicates with patients at the pharmacy window and directs traffic within the pharmacy and waiting room. 

  • Triages patient questions: answers questions when appropriate, refers other requests to a pharmacist. 

  • Gives patients a courtesy call at 10 days, returning prescriptions to stock when they are not picked up by patients within two weeks; processing prescriptions through software to reverse billing. 

  • Dispenses prepared refill prescriptions under the supervision of the pharmacist.

Other Functions

• Checks crash carts for used, outdated, or recalled drugs and replenishes them as needed. 

• Keeps pharmacy areas clean, neat, and well organized. 

• Monitors refrigerator temperatures.

• Other duties as assigned

Additional Details:

Education, Certifications, and Licenses Required

• Alaska license as Pharmacy Technician is required at hire.

• Valid Certified Pharmacy Technician Certification is required within one year of hire.

• Clinical Competency required within 3 months of hire and subsequently every three years

• High Risk Competency required within 3 months of hire and subsequently every three years

Experience Required

• 1-2 years of customer service experience, healthcare or related experience preferred

Knowledge of

• Drug names and strengths, generic equivalents, pharmaceutical and medical terminology and pharmacy law

• Computer systems as well as knowledge of operation and capabilities of all automated equipment within the pharmacy as well as those in satellite areas

Skills in

• Sterile compounding skills

• Hazardous drug handling

• Basic math skills required to calculate dosages

Ability to

• Communicate with patients’ verbally in person and on the phone

• Multitask with constant interruptions and adapt to changes in workload and work schedule

• Work cooperatively with all health-system and pharmacy staff and deal with difficult people

• Set priorities and solve problems and respond quickly in emergencies

Position Information:

Work Shift:OT 8/40

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!