Senior Pharmacy Technician, Acute Care, Pharmacy

Overview The University of Iowa Health Care, Department of Pharmaceutical Care, is seeking a full-time Senior Pharmacy Technician to join our Central Pharmacy team. This is a PM shift position with hours from 3:00 PM to 11:30 PM. Shifts are scheduled in advance and follow a two-week rotating pattern. Staff are scheduled with alternating weekends off and a weekday off during the week before and after a worked weekend.

Responsibilities

Under general supervision of a pharmacist, this position primarily (50-75% of time) performs activities supporting operational pharmacy services, including:

• assisting with training programs for acute care
• monitoring and ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures of all acute care staff
• staffing

Secondarily (25-50% of time), they perform special projects as assigned as well as other duties noted below and in the position responsibilities.

They coordinate daily functions of pharmacy technicians (Certified/Trainees) to meet service needs as identified by the pharmacist. Provide supervision to pharmacy technicians. Serve as in-charge person of work area in the absence of the pharmacist; determine priorities and triage questions and needs. Provide orientation and on-the-job training of new technicians. Provide instruction, evaluate performance, and follow up on training needs. Provide input into technician performance evaluations.

Provide classroom instruction to new technicians. Coordinate maintenance of area equipment and facility, ordering supplies, and handling/disposition of records as well as documentation of quality assurance activities. Assist with inventory management and medication recall activities. Check products prepared by other technicians, as permitted by Iowa law. Assist with implementation of new services and/or development of new procedures. Maintain competency and perform all duties and responsibilities of a pharmacy technician.

Position Responsibilities

Primary (50-75% of Time)

• Assists with training and orientation of new acute care staff
• Assists with preparation and maintenance of aseptic technique training program
• Assists with monitoring of aseptic technique competencies
• Collect and evaluate data related to aseptic technique competence of staff pharmacists and technicians
• Collect and evaluate data related to clean room cleaning activities
• Staff two weekend shifts an average of every four weeks. Additional staffing may be required as dictated by operational needs
• Be familiar with operational workflows and training needs for all acute care pharmacies

Secondary (25-50% of Time)

• Assists with evaluation and implementation of new policy and procedures
• Participate in piloting new programs
• Assist with preparing training and orientation materials for new procedures
• Assist with training and orientation of staff to new procedures
• Assist with central pharmacy equipment modifications, reorganization, and additions to implement new policy and procedure
• Assists with scheduling
• Assist in triaging workload staffing adjustments and shift assignments
• Participates in orientation of pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, pharmacy residents, and senior pharmacy students on rotation in the department
• Assists with evaluation and implementation of new products/technology
• Assists with coordination of resources related to drug shortages
• Communicate to staff necessary information regarding drug shortages
• Coordinate supply chain
• Facilitate implementation of new compounding procedures
• Develop new forms and distribute information to staff
• Optimize Omnicell inventory for medications in short supply
• Serves as a resource for pharmacy informatics
• Maintain working knowledge of pharmacy technology
• Troubleshoot technology-related issues
• Assist in troubleshooting automation-related problems
• Orient and train new staff to pharmacy technology
• Analyze data and incorporate strategies to reduce costs and waste and optimize PAR levels
• Participates in inventory management
• Coordinate controlled substance inventory regularly (weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly)
• Participate in activities such as audits related to recalls and deletions

Other duties as assigned

Supervision

Senior Certified Pharmacy Technician. Day-to-day general supervision is provided by the Pharmacy Manager and Technician Supervisor. The Technician Supervisor approves vacation or other leave approval and coordinates other schedule needs. The Pharmacist in-charge of the pharmacy provides functional supervision for patient care responsibilities.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• Registered with the Pharmacy Board at the time of hire.
• National certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Health career Association (NHA). Must meet ongoing education requirements and maintain certification.
• High school diploma or the equivalent.
• Any combination of four years of post-high school experience and/or education in the natural sciences or four years of experience as a pharmacy technician.

Position And Application Details

In order to be considered…