PHARMACIST

Independence Health System Inc.; Greensburg (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Independence Health System Inc. is seeking a Pharmacist to provide clinical support and distribution services, coordinating with physicians and nursing staff to deliver optimized drug therapy.

The role emphasizes problem solving, teaching, and supervising staff while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Key responsibilities include accurate medication profiling and dispensing, therapeutic monitoring, and involvement in quality improvement programs within the department.

Qualifications

• PharmD or Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited School of Pharmacy.
• Must complete continuing education as required by the State Board of Pharmacy.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, and sound judgment.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.

Responsibilities

• Profile medication orders and ensure policy conformance.
• Review allergies, interactions, and dosing for appropriateness.
• Consult with physicians and nurses to resolve order discrepancies.
• Dispense unit doses accurately and safely.
• Maintain records and document pharmacokinetic monitoring.
• Supervise compounding of extemporaneous medications and injectable preparations.
• Accurately document, maintain records and perform other responsibilities for controlled substances.

Skills

Leadership ability

Organizational skills

Independent thinking

Critical thinking

Communication skills

Education

PharmD/Bachelor's in Pharmacy

Job description

The Pharmacist provides clinical support and distribution services in coordination with physicians, nurses, and ancillary personnel in delivering quality and cost effective drug therapy to patients. This position assumes responsibility for problem solving, teaching, and systems control. This position leads daily activities of the technical and student staff.

Essential Job Functions

• Accurately profile medication orders meeting all Pharmacy policy and procedure requirements.
• Review patient allergy information, duplicate therapy, drug-drug and drug-food interactions, and medication dosage appropriateness.
• Consult with Physicians, Nursing, and other healthcare professionals to resolve order discrepancies.
• Profile medication orders completely and accurately.
• Accurately dispense unit dose tablets, capsules, and liquids, topical, optic and ophthalmic preparations to ensure that all patients receive accurate, appropriate, and timely drug therapy.
• Ensure that all medications are reviewed for appropriateness prior to dispensing.
• Operational responsibility to provide a productive department workflow and efficient medication order turnover rate.
• Compound or supervise the compounding of extemporaneous medications.
• Accurately check all medications prepared by the Pharmacy Technician or Student prior to dispensing.
• Compound and dispense injectable medications to ensure that all patients receive accurate, appropriate and timely drug therapy.
• Aseptically prepare and/or supervise the preparation of injectable medications and chemotherapy solutions according to USP 797 standards.
• Accurately document and maintain necessary records.
• Perform various clinical functions such as pharmacokinetic monitoring and dosing, renal dosing of medication, therapeutic interchange, intravenous to Oral Dosing Conversion, Coumadin dosing program (Inpatient/Outpatient), Collaborative Care Rounding, drug monitoring, and provide drug information to other healthcare professionals.
• Accurately document, maintain records and perform other responsibilities for controlled substances to ensure compliance with all regulatory agencies.
• Perform and maintain accurate Schedule II controlled substances inventory.
• Monitor usage, investigate discrepancies, and accurately dispense controlled substances within the facility.
• Dispense prescriptions and provide service to outpatient customers as applicable
• Maintain prescription files according to current state requirements.
• Work with 3rd party payors to adjudicate prescription claims.
• Submit narcotic record monthly to the state.
• Dispense medications for bedside delivery program and counsel patients as necessary.
• Hospice – fill prescriptions for hospice patients including kits and prescription requests
• Staff the outpatient pharmacy.
• Support Performance Improvement Programs within the department.
• Enter medication errors, adverse drug reactions, and pharmacist interventions into the reporting or pharmacy system.
• Document pharmacokinetic consults.
• Educate co-workers and the public on various drug information topics.
• Present new drug topics and update drug information to co-workers at Pharmacy meetings.
• Present various drug topics to nursing/medical staff as requested.
• Cognitive ability to function and concentrate on the essential and specialty functions of the job at a high level.
• Achieves thoroughness and accuracy when accomplishing an essential or specialty function of the job.
• Ability to think and concentrate for an entire shift.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• PharmD or Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited School of Pharmacy.
• Must complete continuing education as required by the State Board of Pharmacy.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, and sound judgment.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hospital pharmacy experience.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required with AAI license.
• Authorization to Administer Injectable Medications license from the State of Pennsylvania.

License, Certification & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Pharmacist in the State of Pennsylvania or obtain within 90 days of hire.
• PA Act 34 Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History Clearance.

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

• Incumbents will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between Independence Health locations.

Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Disclaimer

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.

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 32-200 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.

Physical Condition

Marginal

Constantly

Frequently

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Extreme Heat

X

X

Extreme Cold

X

X

Heights

X

X

Confined Spaces

X

X

X

X

Mechanical Hazards

X

X

Use of Vibrating Tools

X

X

Operates Vehicle

X

X

X

X

Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices

X

X

Rotates All Shifts

X

X

X

X

X

X

On-Call

X

X

Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hr/wk)

X

X

X

X

X

X

Respirator Protective Equipment

X

X

Eye Protection

X

X

X

X

Hearing Protection

X

X

Hand Protection

X

X

Feet, Toe Protection

X

X

Body Protection

X

X

Latex Exposure

X

X

Solvent Exposure

X

X

Paint (direct use) Exposure

X

X

Dust (sanding) Exposure

X

X

X

X

Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure

X

X

X

X

X

X

Mist Exposure

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Laser Exposure

X

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 32-200 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.

Physical Condition

Marginal

Constantly

Frequently

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

X

X

X

X

Walking

X

X

X

X

Climbing Ladders

X

X

Standing

X

X

Kneeling

X

X

Squatting (Crouching)

X

X

Twisting/Turning

X

X

Keyboard/Computer Operation

X

X

Gross Grasp

X

X

X

X

Hand/Arm Coordination

X

X

Pushing/Pulling(lbs. of force)

X

X

Carry

X

X

Transfer/Push/Pull Patients

X

X

Seeing Near w/Acuity

X

X

Feeling (Sensation)

X

X

X

X

Hearing Clearly

X

X

Pulling/Pushing Objects Overhead

X

X

Reaching Above Shoulder Level

X

X

Reaching Forward

X

X

Lifting Floor to Knuckle

X

10-19

20-29

30-49

>50

Lifting Seat Pan to Knuckle

X

10-19

20-29

30-49

>50

Lifting Knuckle to Shoulder

X

10-19

20-29

30-49

>50

Lifting Shoulder to Overhead

X

10-19

20-29

30-49

>50

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

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.