Inpatient Pharmacy Technician I

Lowell General Hospital; Lowell (MA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

Lowell General Hospital is seeking an Inpatient Pharmacy Technician I to work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist, performing pharmacy-related tasks to support optimal patient care. This trainee role prepares you for advancement in the pharmacy with focused on compliance and accuracy.

The position requires a high school diploma and MA registration; preferred one year of pharmacy-related experience.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Massachusetts Pharmacy Technician Registration required for Massachusetts.
• One year of pharmacy-related experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assists in the preparation and dispensing of medications and mixtures according to Policies and Procedures.
• Picks medications for automated dispensing cabinet replenishment accurately and with reasonable speed.
• Accurately and aseptically prepares sterile products utilizing proper technique; keeps sterile prep area clean.
• Fills floor stock remote orders (e.g., Operating Room, Emergency Room) accurately as checked by pharmacist.
• Maintains storeroom areas; orders supplies and removes outdated medication from stock.

Skills

Organized

Communication

Timeliness

Telephone etiquette

Hazardous handling

Sterile compounding

Medication knowledge

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Massachusetts Pharmacy Technician Registration

Job description

Inpatient Pharmacy Technician I

Job Overview Under the direct supervision of a pharmacist, this role performs pharmacy-related functions in compliance with the department’s policies and procedures in order to provide optimal pharmaceutical care. The Pharmacy Technician Trainee performs minimal, routine tasks in preparation of becoming a Pharmacy Technician.

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications:

1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Massachusetts Pharmacy Technician Registration.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. One (1) year of pharmacy-related experience.

Duties and Responsibilities: The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

1. Assists in the preparation and dispensing of medications and mixtures according to Policies and Procedures.
2. Picks medications for automated dispensing cabinet replenishment accurately and with reasonable speed.
3. Accurately and aseptically prepares sterile products utilizing proper technique. Ensures that sterile preparation area is kept clean.
4. Fills floor stock remote orders (i.e., Operating Room, Emergency Room, etc.) accurately (as determined by pharmacist check).
5. Maintains storeroom areas assuring that supplies in short supply are ordered and that outdated medication is removed from stock immediately. Replenishes active stock from back-up stock as needed.
6. Restocks medications into automated dispensing cabinets in appropriate patient care areas accurately and in a timely manner.
7. Manages emergency medication inventory in carts/kits, including ordering and maintaining adequate supply, accurately restocking, organizing to ensure consistent placement and uniformity, documenting medications used for charge purposes, removal of expired/damage products, and performing regular checks on each unit.
8. Maintains medication rooms by ensuring all appropriate medications are stocked in patient specific bins in the automated dispensing cabinets and by removing expired and discontinued medications.
9. Empties return bins in the automated dispensing cabinets as part of the weekly schedule.
10. Utilizes the unit-dose machine to package bulk medications and appropriately compounds non-sterile medications following standard formulas and procedures.
11. Performs assigned cycle counts of the carousel on a regular basis, maintaining adequate records of completion.
12. Assists in keeping the Pharmacy neat and clean by caring for equipment and cleaning after compounding prescriptions, manufacturing bulk medications, unit dosing, etc.
13. Conduct temperature inspections of the refrigerator in the automated dispensing machine.
14. Inspect assigned medication storage areas monthly maintaining adequate records of inspection. All assigned areas must be inspected every month to meet standard.
15. Greets and assists customers upon arrival to the pharmacy. Participates in point of sale cash transactions. Engages in customer services activities.
16. Provides customer or patient assistance over the phone. Triage calls as appropriate.
17. All assigned work is completed accurately by the end of each shift and all necessary quality control paperwork is completed accurately and with reasonable speed.
18. Communicates effectively with nursing, physicians, and ancillary services to meet the needs of these departments and maintains a positive working relationship and image of the pharmacy department.
19. Maintains collaborative, team relationships with peers and colleagues in order to effectively contribute to the working groups achievement of goals, and to help foster a positive work environment.

Physical Requirements:

1. Ability to walk and stand 90% of the day and to occasionally lift up to 30 lbs.
2. Frequent reaching and grasping below, at, and above shoulder level.
3. Pushing and/or pushing non-motorized equipment (e.g. carts, IV rolling rack, and medication rolling racks, etc.) weighing 40 to 60 lbs.
4. Requires manual dexterity using fine hand manipulation to operate prescription medications and computer keyboard.
5. Ability to see medications, computer screen, and reports.
6. Reading automated dispensing reports regularly.
7. Works in an area with some discomfort due to dust, dirt, and temperature changes.
8. May be exposed to broken glass and some exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Skills & Abilities:

1. Ability to be organized and systematic.
2. Ability to communicate effectively.
3. Ability to perform work in a timely and efficient manner.
4. Possess excellent telephone etiquette skills.
5. Knowledge of hazardous substance handling, complex sterile compounding techniques, and mathematical calculations.
6. Extensive knowledge of medications including: Brand and generic names, dosing forms, indications, formulary status and strengths.

Job Profile Summary

This role focuses on providing pharmacy related services in a hospital or retail setting. In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Pharmacy Services duties: Delivers pharmaceuticals. Includes professionals who are trained and sometimes licensed to dispense medicine/controlled substances. An organizational related support or service (administrative or clerical) role or a role that focuses on support of daily business activities (e.g., technical, clinical, non-clinical) operating in a “hands on” environment. The majority of time is spent in the delivery of support services or activities, typically under supervision. An entry level role that typically requires little to no prior knowledge or experience, work is routine or follows standard procedures, work is closely supervised, and communicates information that requires little explanation or interpretation. At Tufts Medicine, we want every individual to feel valued for the skills and experience they bring.

Our compensation philosophy is designed to offer fair, competitive pay that attracts, retains, and motivates highly talented individuals, while rewarding the important work you do every day. The base pay ranges reflect the minimum qualifications for the role. Individual offers are determined using a comprehensive approach that considers relevant experience, certifications, education, skills, and internal equity to ensure compensation is fair, consistent, and aligned with our business goals. Beyond base pay, Tufts Medicine provides a comprehensive Total Rewards package that supports your health, financial security, and career growth—one of the many ways we invest in you so you can thrive both at work and outside of it.

Pay Range: $21.53 - $26.91 based on full-time equivalent

Tufts Medicine is a leading integrated health system bringing together the best of academic and community health care to deliver exceptional, connected and accessible care experiences to consumers across Massachusetts. Comprised of Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, MelroseWakefield Healthcare, an expansive home care network and a large clinically integrated physician network, Tufts Medicine has more than 15,000 dedicated employees and caregivers. The health system came together in 2014 to leverage the experience of its member organizations and integrate their missions to together transform the ways that consumers engage with and experience their care.