Pharmacy Technician II

Mercycare; Cedar Rapids, Northern (IA, KY); Hybrid; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Mercy in Cedar Rapids, IA is seeking an Inpatient Pharmacy Technician II to support medication inventory management, preparation, and delivery under supervision of a licensed pharmacist.

The role requires current Iowa Certified Pharmacy Technician registration, strong math and accuracy, and ability to work day/evening shifts, weekends, and on-call as rotation dictates. This position offers opportunities to contribute to patient-centered care in a busy hospital environment.

Qualifications

• Must be registered with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy as a Certified Pharmacy Technician.
• Completion of the pharmacy technician leadership pathway is preferred.
• Prior pharmacy experience is advantageous.
• Must have and maintain a good driving record.

Responsibilities

• Fill, label, and deliver medications within hospital and off-site locations.
• Maintain accurate medication inventory and expiration dates.
• Receive, un-pack, sort, and restock medications and supplies.
• Check medication expiration dates and product integrity.
• Prepare unit-dose packaging and ensure quality.
• Triage phone calls and document messages.
• Assist in cleaning and aseptic technique in preparation areas.
• Train new technicians and assist with student visitors.
• Comply with USP <795>, <797>, and <800> regulations.
• Support in emergency kits and cart preparation.

Skills

Pharmacy terminology

Pharmacology knowledge

Inventory management

Dosage calculations

Teamwork / collaboration

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Certified Pharmacy Technician (Iowa)

PTCB/NHA certification

Job description

Inpatient Pharmacy Technician II

This position is scheduled morning hours of 5:30am-2:00pm or 6:00am-2:30pm.

Eligible Candidates

• Applicants with no previous pharmacy technician experience or are not currently registered with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy as a Certified Pharmacy Technician.
• Applicants with previous work experience in a pharmacy setting and are currently registered with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy as a Certified Pharmacy Technician.

Work Shift Day/Evening. Scheduled Weekly Hours 40.

Summary

This job supports Mercy’s philosophy of patient centered care by performing a variety of technical duties related to medication inventory management, preparation and delivery under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. The Inpatient Pharmacy Technician II is a position for applicants with previous work experience in a pharmacy setting and are currently registered with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy as a Certified Pharmacy Technician.

Job Duties

• Maintain a working knowledge of pharmacy terminology, pharmacology, and pharmacotherapy.
• Maintain a working knowledge of and comply with pharmacy policies, procedures, rules and regulations that govern the distribution of medications.
• Maintain a working knowledge of and comply with pharmacy policies, procedures, rules and regulations that govern the handling of controlled substances.
• Accurately and efficiently fills, labels, and delivers medications throughout the hospital and to off-site locations.
• Responsible for maintaining accurate inventory counts and expiration dates in pharmacy automation.
• Responsible for receiving, un-packaging, sorting, and restocking of medications and supplies into appropriate locations.
• Routinely checks medication and supply expiration dates and product integrity.
• Responsible for proper disposal of expired or unusable medications.
• Refills automated dispensing machines to par levels and completes emergency fills in a timely manner.
• Packages medications into unit dose from bulk supply and ensures that packages meet quality standards.
• Appropriately triages phone calls and takes detailed phone messages.
• Maintains clean, neat, well-organized working areas throughout the pharmacy department.
• Assists with the preparation of emergency kits and carts with medications.
• Able to perform basic calculations required for the preparation of compounded medications or optimization of inventory management systems.
• Responsible for conducting all required cleaning and performing correct aseptic technique when working in the non-sterile and sterile preparation areas.
• Responsible for preparing all non-sterile, sterile, and hazardous medications according to recipes, policies, procedures to maintain compliance with USP <795>, <797>, and <800> regulations.
• Completes a thorough assessment and correctly documents monthly inspections of medication storage areas.
• Responsible for building relationships and working effectively as part of a team to ensure the pharmacy department meets all patient care goals.
• Able to communicate effectively and navigate conflict with pharmacy team members and other healthcare professionals.
• Able to work weekends and designated holidays based on a pharmacy department rotation.
• Able to be on call for overnight shift hours as needed based on a pharmacy department rotation.
• Able to work overnight shift hours as needed based on a pharmacy department rotation.
• Responsible for training new pharmacy technicians and assisting when the pharmacy department hosts students or other visitors.
• Assists in the formation and updating of departmental policies, procedures, and standards.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job‑specific safety duties and responsibilities, and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents and injuries.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to operate basic computer applications.
• Ability to calculate dilution amounts, medication doses, basic inventory calculations within the pharmacy technician scope.
• Ability to read and interpret small writing.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time and frequently walk short distances over an eight hour shift.
• Ability to concentrate on a task when multiple things are happening around you.
• Ability to perform technical and precise actions with your hands when preparing medications.
• Ability to lift heavy boxes of medications and bend frequently to shift medications to storage locations.
• Ability to push medication carts throughout the hospital during medication delivery times.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks to complete them efficiently and accurately.

Professional Experience

At least 18 years of age, required.

• Successful completion of all required elements of the pharmacy technician leadership pathway from technician I to technician II.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent, required.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• Maintain active registration with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy Examiners as a Certified Pharmacy Technician, required.
• Approved accredited boards are the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
• Valid Drivers License required.
• Must meet insurability requirements for purposes of utilizing Mercy vehicles.
• Must have and maintain a good driving record.
• Motor vehicle record will be reviewed as part of the background check prior to hire or transfer.

Physical Requirements

Medium: Exert 20-50 lbs. of force occasionally and/or 10-15 lbs. of force frequently.

Pay Rate Type

Hourly.

Company Overview

Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years.

Equal‑Opportunity / EEO Statement

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.