Pharmacy Intern

Yale New Haven Health; Bridgeport (CT); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Bridgeport Hospital, part of Yale New Haven Health, seeks a Pharmacy Intern to support operational, clinical, and educational activities under licensed pharmacists. You will assist with dispensing, compounding, inventory management, and patient counseling in a high‑reliability hospital environment.

You will rotate through clinical areas, participate in rounding with the team, verify orders, respond to drug information questions, and contribute to quality improvements while gaining practical,

Qualifications

• High school diploma required and must be currently enrolled in an accredited College of Pharmacy program or pre‑pharmacy program.
• Current registration or eligibility to be registered as a Pharmacy Intern in the State of Connecticut as outlined by the Dept. of Consumer Protection.
• Inpatient hospital pharmacy experience is preferred, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Distribute medications accurately, including IV, chemotherapy, and refrigerated items.
• Load and manage stock in Pyxis, considering par levels and packaging sizes.
• Respond to nursing and physician requests and provide follow‑up as needed.
• Demonstrate proficiency in sterile and non‑sterile compounding and labeling using aseptic technique.
• Participate in quality assurance and improvement for storage, inventory, and product testing.
• Participate in educational activities within the Pharmacy Department and clinical case discussions.
• Rotate through clinical areas shadowing a pharmacist and assisting with rounding, order verification, drug information, and patient counseling.
• Support department goals related to safety, patient care, and teamwork.

Skills

Mathematical calculations

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Communication skills

Computer applications

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma

Enrolled in accredited College of Pharmacy program

Pre‑pharmacy program

Tools

Pyxis system

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Overview

To be part of our organization, every employee should understand and share in the YNHHS Vision, support our Mission, and live our Values. These values—integrity, patient-centered, respect, accountability, and compassion—must guide what we do, as individuals and professionals, every day.

At Bridgeport Hospital, we are committed to providing quality medical care and treatment that is coordinated and centered on the patient's specific needs. We strive to achieve benchmarks as a Patient Centered Medical Home and provide health care in a setting where patients are at the center of their care team. All employees of Bridgeport Hospital are part of the patient care team and contribute to the team approach of promoting access, continuous, comprehensive care and work to provide quality improvement in the care provided to their patients.

As members of a High Reliability Organization (HRO), every employee should practice CHAMP behavior and strive to make patient safety a top priority. The pharmacy intern is responsible for provision of operational support in the processing, production, inventory, and distribution of pharmaceuticals and related products. The intern will also actively participate in clinical and administrative functions under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist to augment their education and to gain insight and practical experience in their future roles as pharmacists.

Responsibilities

• Performs drug distribution activities including but not limited to accurate dispensing, packaging, and delivering medications for refill or load in automated dispensing machines (Pyxis). Delivery of IV, chemotherapy, and refrigerated medications to patient care units. Prioritization and delivery of STAT orders, code carts, and non-routine deliveries. Sets up, fills, completes assigned deliveries in a timely and accurate manner.
• Processes loads into Pyxis' in an accurate and timely manner, taking into account par levels, drawer location and pocket size, drug package size, and drug usage patterns to minimize potential medication errors and reduces stock-outs and subsequent refills. Replenishes stock-outs in a timely manner.
• Responds appropriately to nursing, physicians and other requests via telephone or in person to appropriately manage issues and provides follow up where appropriate.
• Demonstrate proficiency in cross functional areas of the department including, but not limited to, sterile parenteral product compounding and non-sterile medication preparations. Performs necessary calculations and drug product manipulations, dilution, or compounding. Accurately repackages and labels injectables using aseptic techniques. Follow safety guidelines, OSHA requirements, industry standards and department policy. Accurately documents required manufacturing and billing information related to compounding/admixtures. Performs necessary calculations to accurately compound, repackage, and label oral unit dose solids/liquids. Operates and troubleshoots equipment/hardware/software complications within department policy.
• Identify and participate in ongoing quality assurance and improvement processes to ensure appropriate medication storage, inventory levels, quality testing of sterile products, aseptic technique certification, and operational efficiencies.
• Participate in educational activities within the Pharmacy Department including, but not limited to, Journal club, Clinical case conferences, Patient case presentations, Disease state discussions.
• Rotate through a variety of clinical areas shadowing a clinical specialist and performing their daily activities under direct pharmacist supervision. These activities include, but are not limited to: Rounding with the multidisciplinary team, Review of verification of orders, Provide answers to various drug information questions posed by the team, Provision of patient counseling.
• Portfolio Breadth; Quality Improvement Departmental Goal for Pharmacy Technicians.
• People: Departmental Goal for Pharmacy Technicians.
• Patient Centered Care; Customer Satisfaction: Departmental Goal for Pharmacy Technicians.
• Portfolio Breadth; Safety Improvement Departmental Goal for Pharmacy Technicians.
• Financial and Payment: Departmental Goal for Pharmacy Technicians.

Qualifications

High school diploma required and must be currently enrolled in an accredited College of Pharmacy program or pre‑pharmacy program.

Experience

Inpatient hospital pharmacy experience is preferred, but not required.

Licensure

Current registration or eligibility to be registered as a Pharmacy Intern in the State of Connecticut as outlined by the Dept. of Consumer Protection.

Special Skills

Must be registered or eligible for registration as a Pharmacy Intern in the State of Connecticut as outlined by the Dept. of Consumer Protection. Proficiency in mathematical calculations; accuracy; problem solving; attention to detail; knowledge of computer applications including word processing and spreadsheets; ability to learn quickly in a fast‑paced environment; ability to learn or perform pharmaceutical compounding, repackaging and labeling including manipulation of raw drug products using appropriate technique: ability to work with computer and technology equipment including the ability to perform basic troubleshooting functions. Must be able to prioritize competing demands, work independently, show flexibility and teamwork. Demonstrate good communication skills to customers and team members.

Physical Demand

Must be available to work rotating shifts and weekends. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities to adjust focus. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Incumbents as well as external and internal applicants who become disabled must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without the assistance of reasonable accommodation as determined on a case by case basis.