Pharmacy Specialist Behavioral Health - Sharp Grossmont Hospital - Variable Shift - Full Time

300 Sharp HealthCare; La Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 111,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharp HealthCare in California seeks a pharmacist to provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care in a hospital setting, including behavioral health services. The role requires CA pharmacist licensure and BCPP certification with 1 year postdoctoral hospital experience in some applicants.

Applicants should have a PharmD or PharmD with a year of postdoctoral hospital experience, and AHA BLS. The position emphasizes collaboration with nursing and medical staff to optimize therapy and patient outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in pharmacy or PharmD with 1 year postdoctoral hospital experience.
• California Pharmacist License required.
• BPS Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist (BCPP) required.
• AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professional required.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional, clinical, and technical knowledge for comprehensive pharmaceutical care.
• Participate in behavioral health pharmaceutical care and clinical advisory services.
• Support medication-use processes, dosing, and therapeutic decisions with the care team.
• Engage in medication reconciliation, patient education, and adverse event monitoring.
• Communicate effectively with nurses, physicians, and other clinicians to ensure safety and efficacy.

Skills

AHA BLS Certification

Hospital pharmacy experience

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy

PharmD with 1 year postdoctoral hospital experience

Job description

Hours

Shift Start Time: 8 AM Shift End Time: 4:30 PM AWS Hours Requirement: 8/40 - 8 Hour Shift Additional Shift Information: Weekend Requirements: No Weekends On-Call Required: No

Hourly Pay Range (Minimum - Midpoint - Maximum)

$80.440 - $103.790 - $116.240 The stated pay scale reflects the range that Sharp reasonably expects to pay for this position. The actual pay rate and pay grade for this position will be dependent on a variety of factors, including an applicant’s years of experience, unique skills and abilities, education, alignment with similar internal candidates, marketplace factors, other requirements for the position, and employer business practices.

What You Will Do

To provide the professional, clinical and technical knowledge, and skills and expertise required for the provision of comprehensive pharmaceutical care that supports the mission, values and philosophy of Pharmacy Services and Sharp HealthCare.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in pharmacy.
• Or Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) 1 Year Postdoctoral experience in a hospital pharmacy environment.
• AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professional (AHA BLS Healthcare) - American Heart Association -REQUIRED
• California Pharmacist License - CA State Board of Pharmacy -REQUIRED
• BPS Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacist (BCPP) - Board of Pharmacy Specialties -REQUIRED

Preferred Qualifications

• Completed a PGY-1 Acute Care Residency.
• Completed a PGY-2 Psychiatric Care Residency.
• Mental Health First Aid Certification - Preferred

Other Qualification Requirements

Mental Health First Aid Certification - Preferred Essential Functions Clinical Advisory Services Demonstrates pro‑active involvement with advisory service activities and displays follow‑through and contribution to advisory service outcomes as evidenced by (including but not limited to): (e.g. Renal Target Monitoring, Antibiotic Surveillance Team, Medication Usage Evaluations and other programs or initiatives specific to the entity). Qualitative participation in clinical intervention program through consistent issue identification, provision of reliable best practice/literature based recommendations, follow‑through with prescribers and other clinicians. Quantitative work, measured by the completion and submission of electronic forms consistent with the average established for each pharmacy department/shift. Consistently responds to and documents drug information requests promptly and professionally. Participates in ongoing data collection for MUE. Reviews patient medication profiles for appropriateness of drug therapy, therapeutic duplications, allergies, weight, height, minimum and maximum dosing guidelines, age specific requirements, renal and hepatic function, drug interactions and other pertinent factors to individualize patients' medication dosing requirements within boundaries approved by committees. Identifies, resolves and documents prescribing, formulary and therapeutic issues through integration of patient variables, clinical status, drug knowledge, and professional judgment. Communicates with nurses and physicians in a timely manner about therapeutic issues or problems. Follows up on formulary compliance issues and/or communicates issues to management. Participates in Code‑Blue emergencies as required, mixes and labels medications as needed, and provides information; Assures that pharmacy code‑blue billing is completed where appropriate and restocks medications. Consistently participating in financial pillar/cost savings measures (e.g. IV to PO conversions, ER/XL to IR adjustments as indicated, formulary adherence, etc). Assists and oversees medication shortages in the BH arena. Clinical Consult Services Certification/Recertification, Participation, Knowledge: Demonstrates competency in performing formal clinical consults, and patient monitoring practices as approved by the P and T Committee: Has met minimum certification/recertification requirements as outlined in the Pharmacy Certification Process for Formal pharmacotherapy Consult and Advisory Services policy and procedure for consult services offered at entity. Participates in Clinical Consult Services for example, Pharmacokinetics, Heparin, Pain Management, and other services specific to the entity. Demonstrates knowledge of consult services as evidenced by attainment of consult service goals and proper documentation of actions, recommendations, and patient outcomes on the pharmacy monitoring forms. Performs by leaving concise, objective, legible, and professional notes in the patient's clinical chart. Consistently demonstrates ability to complete formal clinical workload assigned during shift as evidenced by completing all consults and advisory services in a timely manner.

Clinical Advisory Services

Demonstrates pro‑active involvement with advisory service activities and displays follow‑through and contribution to advisory service outcomes as evidenced by (including but not limited to): (e.g. Renal Target Monitoring, Antibiotic Surveillance Team, Medication Usage Evaluations and other programs or initiatives specific to the entity). Qualitative participation in clinical intervention program through consistent issue identification, provision of reliable best practice/literature based recommendations, follow‑through with prescribers and other clinicians. Quantitative work, measured by the completion and submission of electronic forms consistent with the average established for each pharmacy department/shift. Consistently responds to and documents drug information requests promptly and professionally. Participates in ongoing data collection for MUE. Reviews patient medication profiles for appropriateness of drug therapy, therapeutic duplications, allergies, weight, height, minimum and maximum dosing guidelines, age specific requirements, renal and hepatic function, drug interactions and other pertinent factors to individualize patients' medication dosing requirements within boundaries approved by committees. Identifies, resolves and documents prescribing, formulary and therapeutic issues through integration of patient variables, clinical status, drug knowledge, and professional judgement. Communicates with nurses and physicians in a timely manner about therapeutic issues or problems. Follows up on formulary compliance issues and/or communicates issues to management. Participates in Code‑Blue emergencies as required, mixes and labels medications as needed, and provides information; Assures that pharmacy code‑blue billing is completed where appropriate and restocks medications. Consistently participating in financial pillar/cost savings measures (e.g. IV to PO conversions, ER/XL to IR adjustments as indicated, formulary adherence, etc). Assists and oversees medication shortages in the BH arena.

Clinical Consult Services

Demonstrates competency in performing formal clinical consults, and patient monitoring practices as approved by the P and T Committee. Has met minimum certification/recertification requirements as outlined in the Pharmacy Certification Process for Formal pharmacotherapy Consult and Advisory Services policy and procedure for consult services offered at entity. Participates in Clinical Consult Services for example, Pharmacokinetics, Heparin, Pain Management, and other services specific to the entity. Demonstrates knowledge of consult services as evidenced by attainment of consult service goals and proper documentation of actions, recommendations, and patient outcomes on the pharmacy monitoring forms. Performs by leaving concise, objective, legible, and professional notes in the patient's clinical chart. Consistently demonstrates ability to complete formal clinical workload assigned during shift as evidenced by completing all consults and advisory services in a timely manner.

Behavioral Health Pharmaceutical Care

Provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care to Behavioral Health Patient: Participate in daily patient care activities such as reviewing medication orders for accuracy and appropriateness. Verifies appropriate utilization, dosing/dose conversions, scheduling, and route/site of administration for high‑cost agents, including long‑acting injectable antipsychotics. Provide therapeutic drug monitoring for targeted agents or agents with narrow therapeutic index and supports prescribers in dose adjustments as indicated. Monitors and intervenes on psychotropic medication regimes which qualify as polypharmacy or are associated with the development of tardive dyskinesia. Discuss medication order clarifications with the psychiatrist or admitting prescriber and inform others of medication order changes. Oversees medication schedule and delivery in the Outpatient Long Acting Injection clinic. Documents adherence to program rules for long‑acting injectable inpatient hospital free trial programs. Monitor drug therapy to evaluate appropriateness of use, dose, dosage form, regimen, route, therapeutic duplication, and drug interactions. Provide pharmacokinetic consultations and other dosing as required. Work corroboratively with other clinicians and health‑care providers to implement and maintain innovative disease management programs and clinical pharmacy services. Participate in the development of medication use management programs within Sharp Healthcare including clinical guidelines, critical pathways, disease management, and drug use programs. Provide operational support in the Behavioral Health Department and Central Pharmacy as determined by departmental need: Resolve drug distribution related issues. Resolve Pyxis related issues. Facilitate proper information transfer with regard to medication use for patients converted to Inpatient registry from Behavioral Health. Promote the use of the formulary by converting non‑formulary orders to formulary when possible, but coordinates procurement of non‑formulary drugs when necessary. Promote and demonstrate rational, cost‑effective drug therapy: Focus on cost avoidance and cost savings due to medication use. Monitor the use of expensive medications to assure there is use consistent with approved criteria. Anticipate changes in drug therapy and report the potential impact it will represent to the overall hospital and drug budget.

Medication Reconciliation and Patient Education

• Resolve drug distribution related issues.
• Resolve Pyxis related issues.
• Facilitate proper information transfer with regard to medication use for patients converted to Inpatient registry from Behavioral Health.
• Promote the use of the formulary by converting non‑formulary orders to formulary when possible, but coordinates procurement of non‑formulary drugs when necessary.
• Promote and demonstrate rational, cost‑effective drug therapy: Focus on cost avoidance and cost savings due to medication use.
• Monitor the use of expensive medications to assure there is use consistent with approved criteria.
• Anticipate changes in drug therapy and report the potential impact it will represent to the overall hospital and drug budget.

Multidisciplinary Communication

• Clearly communicates goals and instructions to other staff members, including handoffs between shifts (written/oral).
• Participates in staff orientation and resident/student training programs.
• Effectively intercepts and troubleshoots problems, as demonstrated by effective problem solving, prioritization of issues with respect to level of significance and Impact to patient care, safety, workflow, and communication.
• When faced with complex situations, has knowledge of and applies the appropriate policies and procedures.
• Effectively evaluates ongoing workflow issues as and directs daily workload to achieve efficiency and maximize resource utilization as business needs require.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings or reviews staff meeting communications.
• Reads work related email at a minimum on assigned workdays.

Customer Service Interdepartmental Relations (Dealing with external Customers)

• Answers phone in timely, friendly manner, stating department, name, and title.
• Fosters positive relationships through consistent, respectful, professional interactions with customers.
• Responds to requests in timely, caring manner that is consistent with Sharp behavior standards, (i.e. attitude).

Quality Improvement Initiatives Guiding the development of evidence‑based treatment protocols, algorithms, and/or clinical pathways that are congruent with nationally accepted practice guidelines and quality indicators (Core measures).

Assisting in the development, implementation, and assessment of various technologies used throughout the BH medication‑use process (EHR). Maintaining compliance with standards of national accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission and CDPH. Assisting in surveillance and reporting of adverse drug reactions. Participate on hospital committees.

Regulatory Compliance Compliance to relevant regulatory agency requirements (i.e. State Board of Pharmacy, CMS, TJC, DHS, FDA, DEA, etc.)

• Completes monthly assigned nursing unit / drug storage area inspections on time.
• Completes paperwork including inspection log, documents discrepancies, and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Brings critical issues to the attention of management.
• Participates in attaining compliance with the National Patient Safety Goals as demonstrated by saving and forwarding orders/examples to management or designee (i.e. of no VO/TO completed, no prohibited abbreviations, use of 'resume all meds', etc).
• Participates and assists in the collection of med tracer audits or collection of individual elements from the tracer tool.
• Ensures security of medication storage and compliance with Medication Management (MM) standards (i.e. all meds are labeled, patient own meds are checked, bedside medications have associated physician orders, no expired meds, and the physical security of medications is maintained).
• Assists in ensuring facility compliance with hospital‑based inpatient psychiatric services core measures related to medication utilization.

Research and Teaching Responsibilities

Take a leadership role in clinical research and the teaching programs of the Department of Pharmacy Services as they are related to Behavioral Health medicine: Participate in providing didactic and experiential training in Clinical Pharmacy for clinical pharmacy residents. Assist in the development, implementation, and evaluation of residency programs in the areas of Pharmaceutical Care and Clinical Pharmacology. Actively participates in clinical research projects resulting in presentations and/or publications. Provide staff development support to nurses, and physicians. Provide presentations, publications, and other informative activities on emergency medicine and other drug‑related topics to the health care community and general public. Maintains awareness of contemporary trends in the profession through the professional literature and regular attendance at professional organization meetings, institutes and seminars.

Safe Medication Practice

Demonstrates proactive participation in medication safety initiatives as demonstrated by: Knowledge of and active participation in concurrent medication safety event (MSE) monitoring programs, as demonstrated by interventions and eQVR submissions. Qualitative work demonstrates thoughtful and thorough identification, evaluation and analysis of medication safety events. Performs initial analysis of MSE's and assists in the research and identification causative factors of events. Performs non‑voluntary monitoring (i.e. trigger reports, harm monitors, alerting orders). Oversees hospital Clozapine REMS program. Performs fall risk assessment for all patients receiving anti‑psychotic medication. Reviews patient restraint report to see if opportunities to restart anti‑psychotic medication or titrate up.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Computer skills are highly desirable, especially in the application of word processing, spreadsheet, and database creation and management.

Sharp HealthCare is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability or any other protected class

Sharp HealthCare is a not‑for‑profit health care system based in San Diego, California, with four acute care hospitals, three specialty hospitals, three medical groups and a health plan. We provide medical services in virtually all fields of medicine, including primary care, heart care, cancer, orthopedics, women’s health, rehabilitation, robotic surgery and bariatric surgery. Sharp sets the community standard for exceptional care. Sharp Grossmont Hospital and Sharp Memorial Hospital have received prestigious Magnet recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for excellence in nursing practices and quality patient care. At the heart of our organization are more than 18,000 affiliated physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers who are on a journey to make health care better for our patients and their families. It’s what we call The Sharp Experience – treating each person with dignity, compassion and respect, and using our clinical excellence and advanced technology to deliver the highest‑quality patient care. We are dedicated to transforming the health care experience by making Sharp the best place to work, the best place to practice medicine and the best place to receive care in San Diego.