Pharmacy Technician

Job Summary

The Pharmacy Technician, under the Pharmacist's supervision and according to established policies and procedures, assists with the medication distribution system. This role requires strong organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.

Essential Job Functions

1. Fill new medication orders and cassettes and prepare for Pharmacist's review.
2. Assist in reconciliation of missing orders and doses and complete required documentation.
3. Deliver and retrieve medications to and from patient care areas.
4. Deliver medications to appropriate storage area on the nursing unit, including patients rooms, and retrieve discontinued and discharged patient's medication from nursing unit and return to Rx.
5. Deliver stock medications and place in appropriate storage location.
6. Maintain patient transfers, discharges, and medication returns to their proper locations.
7. Exchange medication cassettes daily.
8. Complete all assigned charging and crediting functions, including from miscellaneous sources.
9. Prepackage medications, such as oral liquids, simple batch compounding, and starter doses for review.
10. Restock automated dispensing cabinets, such as Acudose machines.
11. Utilize Pharmacy operating system, such as Cerner.
12. Operate and maintain robot for first doses and cart-fill process.
13. Use tube system, secure transaction function, and do not tube list.
14. Stock medications to their appropriate locations, rotate stock as necessary and check outdates, and assist in maintaining adequate stock levels.
15. Maintain assigned inspection section and check outdates monthly.
16. Fill emergency trays, anesthesia trays, ancillary dept. stock requests, and various medication boxes.
17. Facilitate communication within the Pharmacy.
18. Answer telephone and triage calls to appropriate person.
19. Monitor Pharmacy Window and assist customers according to their need.
20. Staff the IV Room when necessary.
21. Prior completion of department IV training and competency.
22. Prepare IV medications and parenteral nutrition (TPN) utilizing USP 797 and 800 guidelines for review.
23. Label pre-mixed IV meds and batch prep mini bag plus IV meds for pharmacist's review.
24. Manage adequate inventory levels.
25. Maintain Clean Room environment per policy and procedure as well as USP 797 and 800 guidelines.
26. Follow Quality Assurance protocols, such as temp/humidity monitoring, hood cleaning, hand washing, and proper garb for clean room.
27. Demonstrate skill and proficiency to be scheduled IV shift on weekend/holiday.
28. Thoroughly trained in all aspects of the basic tech functions/duties.
29. Robot: thoroughly understand cart-fill process including updates and patient transfers/discharges; troubleshoot problems/issues.
30. Acudose machines: Manage return bin function and be able to troubleshoot problems/issues.
31. Assist Pharmacist in filling outpatient prescriptions as necessary.
32. Operate packaging machines, which requires knowledge of machine set-up, reports, and trouble-shooting.
33. The APS Overwrap Packager Machine, which packages vials/injectable and unit dose bigger items.
34. The Bulk Packager machines, which include the Euclid Cadet that packages bulk meds in unit-dose strips for manual pick stations and Euclid Punch Cadet that packages bulk meds into unit-dose robot ready form.
35. Enter appropriate information-such as NDC, manufacturer, bar-code, lot #, expiration date-for each medication being packaged.
36. Complete average daily production of at least 2,000 to 3,000 doses from all 3 machines.
37. Anticipate ups and downs of "Robot Ready" stock inventory and prepare accordingly.
38. Restock robot daily using restocking report.
39. Interact with buyers from other campuses and coordinate pre-packaging for their needs.
40. Maintain bulk supply inventory by placing daily drug order using Repackaging Report and Wholesaler Reordering Report.
41. Run packaging log detail report for each machine, print daily and keep for recommended length of time.
42. Maintain utilization and efficiency of robot.
43. Use cell map adjustment report twice monthly, remove and/or add meds, rearrange rods as necessary, and ensure packaging is checked and verified by a Pharmacist.

Required Qualifications

1. High School Diploma or GED.
2. Strong organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Pharmacy Technician Certification.
2. One (1) year prior Hospital Pharmacy Technician experience.

License, Certification & Clearances

1. Act 34-PA Criminal Record Check from the PA State Police system.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but does serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).

Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations.

LEAN

Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements.

Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one's own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to Excela's missions, vision and values.

AAP/EEO

Excela Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

It is the policy of Excela Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class.

Excela Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below.

Work Environment

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.

Physical Condition

Essential – Absolute Necessity.

Marginal – Minimal Necessity.

Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.

Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or reps/shift.

Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.

Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.

Never – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.

Extreme Heat – x

Extreme Cold – x

Heights – x

Confined Spaces – x

Extreme Noise(>85dB) – x

Mechanical Hazards – x

Use of Vibrating Tools – x

Operates Vehicle – x

Operates Heavy Equipment – x

Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices – x

Rotates All Shifts – x

8 Hours Shifts – x

10-12 Hours Shifts – x

On-Call – x

Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hrs/wk) – x

Travel Between Sites – x

Direct Patient Care – x

Respirator Protective Equipment – x

Eye Protection – x

Head Protection (hard hat) – x

Hearing Protection – x

Hand Protection – x

Feet, Toe Protection – x

Body Protection – x

Latex Exposure – x

Solvent Exposure – x

Paint (direct use) Exposure – x

Dust (sanding) Exposure – x

Ethylene Oxide Exposure – x

Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure – x

Blood/Body Fluid Exposure – x

Chemicals (direct use) Exposure – x

Mist Exposure – x

Wax Stripper (direct use) – x

Non-Ionizing Radiation Exposure – x

Ionizing Radiation Exposure – x

Laser Exposure – x

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.

Essential – Absolute Necessity.

Marginal – Minimal Necessity.

Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.

Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or reps/shift.

Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.

Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.

Never – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.

Bending (Stooping) – x

Sitting – x

Walking – x

Climbing Stairs – x

Climbing Ladders – x

Standing – x

Kneeling – x

Squatting (Crouching) – x

Twisting/Turning – x

Keyboard/Computer Operation – x

Gross Grasp – x

Fine Finger Manipulation – x

Hand/Arm Coordination – x

Pulling/Pushing(lbs. of force) – x

Carry – x

Transfer/Push/Pull Patients – x

Seeing Near w/Acuity – x

Feeling (Sensation) – x

Color Vision – x

Hearing Clearly – x

Pulling/Pushing Objects Overhead – x

Reaching Above Shoulder Level – x

Reaching Forward – x

Lifting Floor to Knuckle – 25#

Lifting Seat Pan to Knuckle – 25#

Lifting Knuckle to Shoulder – 15#

Lifting Shoulder to Overhead – 10#

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