Pharmacy Technician I – Sharp Grossmont Hospital – Variable Shift – Per Diem

This position is covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with SEIU-UHW. As part of the terms of employment, employees in this role are required to join the union within 31 days of hire and remain a member (e.g. dues paying, fee paying, religious exception contributor) for the duration of the collective bargaining agreement.

Schedule

Variable shift start and end times. 8-hour shifts, 40 hours per week. Weekend requirements: every other weekend. On-call: not required.

Hourly pay range: $28.740 – $35.930 – $40.240.

Responsibilities

• Medication Dispensing
  • Print, accurately fill, and prepare first and subsequent doses, unit dose for patient cassettes, floor stocks, and medication requests.
  • Prioritize and complete workload to promote smooth pharmacy operations.
  • Select, order, and restock the correct medication, dosage, and strength with a high level of accuracy.
  • Obtain pharmacist check prior to dispensing.
  • Prepare, label, and document pre-packing/re-packaging of unit dose, bulk, and compounded medications according to policy, procedure, and regulatory standards.
  • Demonstrate competency in Hazardous Medication/Chemotherapy Compounding and USP 800 guidelines.
• Medication Delivery
  • Deliver medications to accurate locations.
  • Exchange medication cassettes within designated time frame; transfer bulk medications and remove discontinued medications from non-exchange cassettes.
  • Check nursing station refrigerators for discontinued medications.
  • Respond to special delivery requests for STAT, ASAP, and NOW medication orders.
• IV Preparation
  • Demonstrate competency in IV Room per USP 797 and 800 guidelines, policies, and procedures.
  • Prepare all IV admixtures in strict accordance with established guidelines while maintaining accuracy.
  • Run fill lists (IV labels) and organize workload to meet batch delivery times.
  • Perform primary check of labeling to confirm completeness according to policies and procedures.
  • Use pharmacy workflow management system and barcode technology for IV compounding per policies.
  • Obtain pharmacist check prior to dispensing IV admixtures.
  • Respond to STAT, ASAP, and NOW IV admixture requests.
  • Recycle IVs where possible and remove expired products from circulation.
  • Maintain IV preparation and dispensing areas in a clean and orderly manner; restock prior to end of shift.
  • Communicate workload or operational issues to supervisors in a timely manner.
• Inventory Control
  • Monitor drug inventory, including PAR level management, to prevent stock-outs; communicate special or urgent inventory needs to Pharmacy Buyer.
  • Ensure proper medication storage per policies, procedures, and manufacturer guidelines to prevent premature degradation or expirations.
  • Remove outdated and unusable medications to segregated storage site.
  • Maintain neat and organized work areas.
  • Maintain integrity of Pharmacy Waste streams.
• Pyxis Technology Management
  • Demonstrate proficiency in Automated Dispensing Cabinets (e.g., Pyxis): refilling, loading, unloading medications, utilizing barcode technology, completing RX checks, pulling override reports, fulfilling stock out reports, assisting with inventory discrepancies.
• Medication Safety
  • Proactively identify potential medication safety improvement opportunities (e.g., look-alike/sound-alike medication storage, delivery/storage/security issues, inventory management).
  • Participate in development of medication safety initiatives to prevent occurrence or reoccurrence of events.
  • Adhere to medication safety communications and initiatives from pharmacy management and Safe Medication Practice team.
  • May participate in surveillance initiatives such as Pyxis override report monitoring, controlled substance audits, medication safety event reporting.
• Regulatory Compliance
  • Maintain competency and abide by all medication management standards in accordance with Sharp policies, procedures, Federal, and State regulations.
  • Complete assigned monthly procedural area/drug storage area inspections in a timely manner using appropriate documentation tools.
  • Ensure all documentation and records are complete and maintained appropriately for compounding, hazardous/chemotherapy, pre-packing, controlled substance audits, Pyxis, etc.
• Quality Assurance
  • Prioritize and accomplish assigned workload in a timely manner to promote smooth pharmacy operations.
  • Identify process improvement opportunities and bring critical issues to management’s attention.
  • Participate in implementing corrections as needed.
• Communication and Teamwork
  • Demonstrate self-motivation, cooperation, teamwork, initiative, and flexibility toward organizational and departmental goals.
  • Establish effective working relationships with internal and external customers by treating them with dignity and respect.
  • Stay informed through staff meetings, electronic communication, in-services, and educational opportunities.
  • Answer incoming phone calls promptly and courteously.
  • Communicate effectively with co-workers and customers, both verbally and non-verbally.
  • Report issues to supervisor in a timely manner.

Requirements

• California Pharmacy Technician License (TCH) – CA State Board of Pharmacy (required).

Preferred Qualifications

• 1 year experience in a hospital pharmacy environment or in IV sterile compounding.
• Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) – Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.

Skills

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with healthcare team members and patients.
• Ability to manage deadlines, prioritize, and manage time appropriately.
• Proficiency in technology utilized for drug distribution.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Skilled use of Microsoft Office and Excel (preferred).