Inpatient Pharmacy Specialist

About the role

Under indirect or direct supervision and based on patient variables such as age, sex, and other physical characteristics, monitors or manages the medication therapy of hospitalized or ambulatory patients; confers with and assists medical personnel; provides medication information and pharmacokinetic dosing advice; adjusts doses, orders laboratory tests, and administers medications according to established policies and procedures; monitors medication distribution; dispenses, compounds, and distributes pharmacy products. Provides direction to ancillary pharmacy staff.

Responsibilities

• Upholds Kaiser Permanente’s policies and procedures, principles of responsibilities, and applicable state, federal, and local laws.
• Performs sterile and non-sterile compounding.
• In collaboration with the healthcare team, develops and implements patient-specific plans to optimize medication therapy.
• Monitors medication therapy to assure optimum therapeutic results and manages and optimizes therapy based on interpretation of data, assessments, and evaluations of patient outcomes.
• Follows hospital-approved collaborative, pharmacokinetic drug therapy management protocols (e.g., adjust drug doses, order laboratory tests, assess therapeutic effectiveness).
• Interviews patients, family members, or designated caregivers to obtain information regarding medication use, allergies, and sensitivities; documents this information appropriately.
• Advises patients and caregivers regarding medication use, storage, compliance, precautions, warnings, and related devices.
• Provides pharmacokinetic dosing advice to medical personnel; orders and adjusts medication dosages, orders laboratory tests, and administers medication under protocol.
• Monitors the effectiveness and accuracy of the hospital medication distribution system; reviews medication orders for appropriateness and adherence to the drug formulary; clarifies orders and intervenes when necessary.
• Verifies accuracy of medication preparation and dispensing by pharmacy personnel; provides medical personnel with medication information.
• Identifies potential medication safety issues and works to prevent medication errors; reviews patient medical records to detect and respond to adverse drug events; evaluates adverse drug events for severity, probability, and preventability.
• Ensures appropriate medication storage and security; participates in investigational drug studies as required.
• Participates in problem identification and resolution; supports a collaborative Labor-Management Partnership environment.
• Develops and tests requirements and specifications for protocols, computer programs, pharmacokinetic dosing, and other pharmaceutical care applications.
• Develops and maintains teaching curriculum and conducts educational programs for pharmacy, medical personnel, and patients; participates in assigned education and training programs.
• Actively participates in rounds, hospital committees, utilization review, quality management programs, and interdisciplinary teams during medical emergencies (e.g., Code Blue).

Requirements

• Possesses a minimum of 1200 hours of inpatient pharmacy experience within the last 5 years (e.g., intern pharmacist, pharmacist) or successful completion of an ASHP-accredited clinical pharmacy practice residency.
• Degree in Pharmacy meeting minimum education requirements for licensure.
• Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System Registration required at hire.
• Pharmacist License (California) required at hire.
• National Provider Identifier required at hire.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support within 3 months of hire from American Heart Association.
• Basic Life Support within 3 months of hire from American Heart Association.

Additional Requirements

• Demonstrates knowledge of patient variables such as age, sex, and other physical characteristics/presentation and disease states as they relate to medication therapy.
• Comprehensive knowledge of acute care medications, pharmacological/biopharmaceutical principles, medical terminology, pathologies, and disease states.
• Demonstrated work experience performing aseptic technique and the ability to prepare sterile IV products and chemotherapeutic agents.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations regarding pharmaceutical services.
• Passage of a standardized competency assessment or current incumbent in job code 60002, 60007, 67130, or 67150.
• Demonstrated ability to extract pertinent information from the patient or other sources and relate it to the patient’s medical management plan.
• Experience operating pharmacy computer systems and other equipment; comprehensive knowledge of emergency medications.