Clinical Pharmacist - Pulmonary ICU and StepDown

Montgomery College; Nashville, Northern (TN, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Clinical Pharmacist at Vanderbilt University Hospital will provide leadership in a specialized healthcare team to ensure optimal, cost‑effective drug therapy for adult patients in the medical ICU and medicine stepdown units. You will participate in rounds, code response, and pharmacy consults, and support transitions of care and antimicrobial stewardship.

The role emphasizes patient education and safety, guiding high‑risk regimens, and ongoing process improvement to enhance medication

Qualifications

• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency or other post‑graduate training in critical care, internal medicine or similar.
• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 residency plus experience in critical care or other relevant clinical practice setting.
• Equivalent years of experience practicing in critical care or other relevant clinical practice setting.

Responsibilities

• Reviews drug orders and/or prescriptions to ensure the safe, appropriate and cost‑effective use of medications.
• Prepares and dispenses medications, provides drug information and manages medication therapy in accordance with federal, state and local regulations and hospital policy.
• Provides outstanding patient care by optimizing medication preparation and resolving medication‑related problems.
• Maintains the quality, safety, and consistency of clinical pharmacy services in assigned areas.
• Supervises the activities of assigned support personnel and verifying the accuracy and appropriateness of all medications prepared by support personnel prior to dispensing to patients or dispensing to healthcare providers for administration to patients.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

Skills

Mentoring & Coaching (Intermediate)

Medication Management (Advanced)

Pharmaceutical Drug Preparation & Disp

Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance & Com

Pharmaceutical Computer Literacy (Nov)

Education

ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency in critical care/internal medicine or similar

ASHP-accredited PGY1 residency plus relevant critical care experience

Job description

Discover Vanderbilt Health: With eight hospitals and over 180 clinics, we are the region’s largest comprehensive academic health system. Vanderbilt Health has a long tradition of providing world‑class care to the people of the Mid‑South, living out our mission of moving medicine forward through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research. Here you’ll find a spirit of collaboration and a supportive community where your expertise is valued, your knowledge expanded and your uniqueness celebrated. We are committed to fostering an environment where talented, compassionate people are united in bringing the most advanced care to our neighbors throughout the region.

Organization: Pharmacy Clinical Operations

Job Summary

Provides leadership in a specialized healthcare team and the patient to assure optimal cost-effective drug therapy. This includes developing specific pharmacotherapeutic goals, recommending a regimen and developing a monitoring plan to meet the individualized drug therapy needs of the patient. The Clinical Pharmacist is responsible for leading efforts in the prevention and reporting of medication errors and adverse drug reactions according to policy and works to continuously improve process and practice in the institution to enhance safety of medication therapy.

Position Highlights

The medical ICU and medicine stepdown Clinical Pharmacist will be responsible for delivering comprehensive pharmaceutical care to adult critically ill patients and patients requiring intermediate level care at Vanderbilt University Hospital. Clinical services provided include but are not limited to participating in interdisciplinary team rounds, code response, completion of pharmacy consults, support at transitions of care, patient education, antimicrobial stewardship, and monitoring of high‑risk medication therapies. Schedule is Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm with a weekend and holiday rotation.

Preferred Qualifications (not required to apply)

• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency or other post‑graduate training in critical care, internal medicine or similar.
• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 residency plus experience in critical care or other relevant clinical practice setting.
• Equivalent years of experience practicing in critical care or other relevant clinical practice setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Reviews drug orders and/or prescriptions to ensure the safe, appropriate and cost‑effective use of medications.
• Prepares and dispenses medications, provides drug information and manages medication therapy in accordance with federal, state and local regulations and hospital policy.
• Provides outstanding patient care by optimizing medication preparation and resolving medication‑related problems.
• Maintains the quality, safety, and consistency of clinical pharmacy services in assigned areas.
• Supervises the activities of assigned support personnel and verifying the accuracy and appropriateness of all medications prepared by support personnel prior to dispensing to patients or dispensing to healthcare providers for administration to patients.
• The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and additional duties may be assigned.

Technical Capabilities

Mentoring & Coaching (Intermediate): Demonstrates good training and mentoring practices on a regular basis. Acts as a mentor to a person in need of support and direction. Makes a concerted effort to seek problem definition so it is clearly understood, clarifying and refining goals, as needed. Knows how to make personal gains apparent, supporting pride in accomplishment. Cites specific examples of conduct and responds to lack of progress in constructive ways. Encourages two way dialogue, soliciting opinions of people being trained and mentored. Explores alternative solutions and approaches which make a person or team more likely to accomplish their goals.

Medication Management (Advanced): Demonstrates the uppermost levels of expertise in medication management in challenging and complex situations. Often takes a lead role in highly pressurized situations when there is a need to achieve results. Has the ability to determine the clinical appropriateness of each medication taken by the patient, determine the appropriateness of the dose, dosage form, indication, contraindications, potential adverse effects and potential problems with concomitant medications. Able to monitor for therapeutic duplication or other unnecessary medications, interpret, monitor and assessing patient's laboratory results as they relate to medication therapy and provide drug information to other healthcare professionals, patients and their families.

Pharmaceutical Drug Preparation & Dispensing (Novice): Possesses sufficient fundamental proficiency to successfully review, prepare and dispense prescribed medications. This includes being proficient in the general principles of aseptic technique utilized to compound sterile preparations (CSPs) to minimize the risk of contamination (where applicable).

Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance & Compliance (Expert): Demonstrates expert knowledge of the appropriate rules and regulations as they apply to the organization. Demonstrates expertise in process improvement, quality assurance practices and/or programs. Demonstrates a commitment to continuous quality improvement and ensures compliance with a federal, state and local regulations as well as organizational policies and procedures. May represent the organization at regulatory and industry groups for discussing rules and regulations.

Pharmaceutical Computer Literacy (Novice): Has demonstrated a proficient understanding of computers or has successfully completed training for applications that are used to support medication use processes. Is capable of using the fundamental features of pharmaceutical computer applications to support patient care issues of moderate difficulty.

Allied health is among the fastest growing occupations in healthcare today. This area can be defined as credentialed professionals who perform supportive, diagnostic, and therapeutic health care services to promote health and prevent disease in a variety of settings. These areas are crucial to Vanderbilt Health’s reputation for excellence in these areas that has made us a major center for patient referrals from throughout the Mid‑South. Each year, people throughout Tennessee and the southeast choose Vanderbilt Health for their health care because of our leadership in medical science and our dedication to treating patients with dignity and compassion.

Core Accountabilities

Organizational Impact: Independently delivers on objectives with understanding of how they impact the results of own area/team and other related teams.

Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Utilizes multiple sources of data to analyze and resolve complex problems; may take a new perspective on existing solution.

Breadth of Knowledge: Has advanced knowledge within a professional area and basic knowledge across related areas.

Team Interaction: Acts as a "go-to" resource for colleagues with less experience; may lead small project teams.

Core Capabilities

Supporting Colleagues:

• Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas.
• Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.
• Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's communication style to suit different scenarios and audiences.

Delivering Excellent Services:

• Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.
• Solve Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.
• Offer Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness.

Ensuring High Quality:

• Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.
• Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them.
• Fulfill Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine