Pharmacy Tech

Distribution Functions

• Makes rounds at least every hour for medication delivery.
• Refers all inquiries or issues regarding patient therapy to a pharmacist.
• Delivers narcotics and maintains records of delivery.
• Provides controlled drug records to nursing and bills narcotics.
• Advises pharmacists if there is an administration irregularity according to policy and procedure.
• Compares types and quantity of drugs returned from patient care areas with medication administration record and advises pharmacist of irregularities according to established policies and procedures.

IV Admixtures

• Prepares intravenous and other sterile products by selecting and calculating ingredient amounts, compounding or injecting into the proper container and packaging and labeling according to established policies and procedures and using appropriate techniques.
• Prepares pharmacy products according to quality assurance criteria including reconstitution of pharmaceutical products for dispensing.

Medication Packaging

• Prepares unit dose medications according to quality control criteria. This includes placing medication in proper containers, labeling correctly and maintaining logbook.
• Prepares oral, topical and other pharmacy products for distribution by calculating ingredient amounts, mixing components, selecting proper containers, packaging and labeling according to established policies and procedures.
• Prepares pharmacy products in proper containers with appropriate label(s) as dictated by State and Federal regulations, standards, organizational and departmental policies and procedures.

Medication Storage

• Unpacks and restocks pharmacy items in appropriate storage areas in an orderly manner. This includes rotating stock.
• Maintains drug storage areas within the hospital ensuring refrigerator log sheets are maintained, medications are not expired, patient’s own medications are recorded and properly stored according to established policies and procedures.
• Replaces floor stock/Pyxis on all units as needed. This may include nursing units, emergency or surgery department, and pharmacy storage areas within the hospital.

Medication Reconciliation

• Interviews patients and/or their designated family/caregivers as soon as possible after presenting for care to the Emergency Department and/or Medical Surgical/Intensive Care Unit.
• Obtains and records accurately in the electronic medical record a current list of medications to include prescription medications, over the counter (non-prescription) medications, vitamin and nutritional supplements.
• Records the following for each medication:
  • medication/supplement name,
  • dosage form,
  • strength,
  • dose,
  • frequency
  • day/time of last dose taken.
• Clarifies as many uncertainties as possible and compiles as complete a medication history as possible utilizing patient/designee information, community pharmacy records, clinic records, long-term-care facility records and information from previous hospital encounters.
• Aids in collecting information to support Hospital Performance Quality Improvement initiatives as directed.

Inventory Control

• Orders appropriate quantities of medications and supplies to ensure maintenance of par levels.
• Orders medications and supplies from appropriate vendors according to established policy and procedure.
• Receives and verifies incoming pharmacy merchandise against purchase orders and other inventory ordering records and documents it is received and distributes received documents.
• Notifies pharmacist of discrepancies between order and what was received: quantity, quality, damage, etc.