Pharmacy Technician
Duties of the Pharmacy Technician-Inpatient include, but are not limited to:
This Pharmacy Technician position functions in the Inpatient Pharmacy section at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Facility in Houston, TX, and must be able to perform in all areas of the Pharmacy including expanded distribution functions, which require an extensive knowledge of pharmaceuticals and pharmacy practice.
Inpatient preparation and distribution of unit dose medications and ward stock items, intravenous admixtures including cytotoxic chemotherapy, stock management;
Operation, maintenance, re-stocking and troubleshooting of automated dispensing equipment;
Patient and customer relations;
Ppreparation and maintenance of various logs, records and reports.
Possesses an advanced technical knowledge of drug and medication brand names, generic names/chemical names, general and special storage requirements, expiration date requirements, manufacturer/distributor sources, dosage forms, applicable systems of weights and measures and medical terminology to interpret providers' orders and verify correct drug, dosage form, strength and dose is prepared and/or distributed;
Working knowledge of drug use and dosage forms available to be able to screen drug orders for propriety and assist the pharmacist in solving potential drug related problems;
Working knowledge of hospital computer systems, specifically the applicable VistA and CPRS and Class III software applications (e.g., BCMA, unit dose, outpatient prescription processing including ATC dispensing machine, IV admixtures, etc.) and a thorough knowledge of the operation and basic daily maintenance and minor repair of automated dispensing equipment;
Preventative maintenance on all automated equipment used in the Pharmacy, as well as some minor repair of the equipment;
Mastery of aseptic technique used in the preparation of pharmaceuticals for parenteral administration, advanced technical working knowledge of various administration routes for various parenteral pharmaceuticals and the special preparation considerations that must be taken into account in their preparation, handling, storage, distribution and disposal;
Advanced technical working knowledge of equipment and supplies used in the preparation of intravenous admixtures including, but not limited to, horizontal laminar flow hoods, admixing pumps, needles, syringes, various drug reservoirs, etc.
Specialized knowledge regarding chemical and physical compatibilities is essential for the proper preparation of parenteral pharmaceuticals.
Advanced knowledge of principles relating to controlled substances and the requirements of Medical Center and Network policy and state and Federal regulations, which apply to these drugs.
Knowledge of problems associated with waste, fraud, diversion or abuse are identified quickly and reported to appropriate supervisors.
Advanced technical knowledge of all aspects of drug characteristics and nomenclature including generic/chemical and brand names, dosage forms, various systems of weights and measures, drug product codes, drug interchangeability and therapeutic equivalence; characteristics of drug packaging; various uses for drugs;
VA and regulatory agency requirements for drug storage;
Special requirements for procurement, storage, distribution, and handling of various classes of drugs.
An advanced technical working knowledge of usage rates, stock levels, inventory maintenance concepts including just-in-time inventory and inventory turns, equipment utilized for procurement, contract adherence sources is also required.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $48,503.00 - $63,050.00 per year
Benefits:
401(k)
Continuing education credits
Dental insurance
Disability insurance
Employee assistance program
Flexible schedule
Flexible spending account
Free parking
Health insurance
Health savings account
Life insurance
Paid sick time
Paid time off
Retirement plan
Travel reimbursement
Tuition reimbursement
Vision insurance
Physical setting:
Inpatient
JCAHO accredited facility
Magnet hospital
Schedule:
Monday to Friday
Rotating weekends
Ability to commute/relocate:
Houston, TX 77030: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)
Experience:
Pharmacy technician experience: 1 year (Preferred)
Work Location: In person