Job Summary: A Pharmacy Technician, under the supervision of a pharmacist, shall perform pharmacy-related functions that do not require professional judgement, in furtherance of the mission to provide optimal, patient-centered pharmaceutical care to the patients of Kearney Regional Medical Center. These functions shall be carried out in accordance with departmental and facility policies and procedures and state and federal regulations. A pharmacy technician shall perform their duties in an honest and ethical manner that exhibits and promotes integrity consistent with the Mission, Vision, Values and Goals of Kearney Regional Medical Center.
Shifts: As needed, varied.
Demonstrates Competency in the Following Areas:
- Safely and competently perform the duties identified in the Operational and Medication Reconciliation functions of this job description with the understanding that the list of duties is not all-inclusive, but rather a broad overview of the functions and expectations of the Pharmacy Technician position.
- Maintain knowledge of medications, biologics, vaccines, and solutions inclusive of indications, common doses and common dose forms (e.g. tabs, caps, ointments, creams, suspensions, etc).
- Knowledgeable of and adheres to state and federal regulations specific to role as pharmacy technician as well as state and federal regulations specific to the operations of the pharmacy.
Perform Operational Functions as described below:
- Ensure all preparation, delivery, waste and procedures are verified by a pharmacist.
- Knowledgeable of all operational processes and work in all operational areas of pharmacy.
- Transport medications, biologics, vaccines, solutions, drug-delivery devices, and other pharmacy equipment from the pharmacy to clinical departments.
- Effectively utilize automated dispensing machine technology to facilitate patient care through refilling, rotating stock, load and unloading, expiring and troubleshooting.
- Prepare medications, biologics and supplies for dispensing according to departmental policies and procedures to minimize the risk of medication errors or patient harm.
- Prepacking bulk medications.
- Compounding non-sterile preparations such as ointments, creams, oral solutions, suppositories, etc.
- Compounding sterile preparations such as total parenteral nutrition, large-volume admixtures, critical-care infusions, chemotherapy, antibiotics, etc.
- Seek out education and maintain knowledge of United States Pharmacopeia 797 standards for compounding sterile preparations.
- Assist with control, storage, record keeping, accurate counts, identification of at-risk activities and auditing of controlled substances within the pharmacy department and in clinical departments.
- Maintain all kits, trays, boxes in ready to use forms to facilitate timely patient care.
- Appropriately dispose of pharmaceuticals that are expired, partially used, adulterated, etc.
- Assure expired, outdated, adulterated or misbranded medications are not available for patient use.
- Post charges into the computer system.
- Prepare inventories, order supplies from the storeroom, order pharmaceuticals, receive pharmaceuticals and solutions from vendors and stock shelves in throughout the pharmacy.
- Receive and assist with triaging telephone calls and requests from KRMC staff presenting to the pharmacy to obtain pharmaceuticals, to provide environmental services or maintenance services to the department, etc.
- Complete and document in a timely manner all required operational documentation of functions completed that are necessary for regulatory reporting of the pharmacy department (e.g. recording refrigerator and freezer temperatures, documentation of cleaning compounding hood(s), etc.)
- Perform monthly nursing department inspections, and collect quality-assurance data as appropriate.
- Maintain a clean and orderly pharmacy to facilitate employee and patient safety.
- Submit incident reports in electronic health record for errors, employee safety issues or patient or visitor safety issues or aberrations from approved policies and procedures.
- Bring forth ideas and solutions for process improvement or safety concerns.
- Assist in training new employees under pharmacist supervision.
- Accept and carry out projects as assigned by the lead pharmacy technician, supervising pharmacist, pharmacy manager or Director of Pharmacy.
Perform Medication Reconciliation Functions as described below:
- Discuss home medications with patients, family/caregivers, providers, clinics and pharmacies to obtain as accurate of medication profile as possible. The list should be inclusive of prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and other supplements, herbals, cultural or home remedies as well as dosages and frequencies of use, time of day, week, month or year the medication is taken and what pharmacy(s) the patient uses to fill prescriptions.
- Gather information from the patient and/or family/caregivers regarding allergies and reactions for prescription and non-prescription medications.
- Effectively utilize medication databases such as the electronic health record, Nebraska Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) and Dr. First to gather home medication information.
- Communicate regularly with direct care providers, pharmacists and other pertinent persons information (including potential discrepancies in medication lists) regarding medication profiles.
- Update medication profiles as needed for continuity of care.
- Cooperate with nursing staff to identify and enact best practices for workflow in the admissions, transfers and discharges process for incorporation of medication reconciliation.
Professional Requirements:
- Adheres to dress code, appearance is neat and clean.
- Completes annual education requirements.
- Maintains regulatory requirements and national certification.
- Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
- Reports to work on time and as scheduled, completes work within designated time.
- Wears identification while on duty, uses computerized punch time system correctly.
- Completes in-services and returns in a timely fashion.
- Attends annual review and department in-services, as scheduled.
- Attends staff meetings, reads and returns all monthly staff meeting minutes.
- Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.
- Actively participates in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.
- Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
- Emulates and enforces the mission, vision, values and goals of the hospital.
- Attend external seminars regarding pharmaceuticals and stay current on pharmaceuticals by reading and studying available literature if deemed appropriate.
- Proficient use of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Outlook.
- Proficient in applying basic mathematical and algebraic functions.
Education and Certification:
- Required: High school diploma or graduate equivalent degree required
- Maintain registration as a pharmacy technician with the State of Nebraska.
- Basic Life Saving (BLS) required within 6 months of hire.
- Associates degree in healthcare field or business field preferred.
- Completion of an accredited pharmacy technician training program preferred at time of hire. If no certification upon hire, certification shall be obtained from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board within one year of start date and maintained for duration of employment as a pharmacy technician.
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