Retail Pharmacy Technician

Energetic Summary and Purpose

Under the immediate supervision of a pharmacist and Pharmacy Department leadership, this position provides daily pharmaceutical supportive services for the Department of Pharmacy. Duties include filling, processing, and dispensing medications, maintaining cleanliness, and responding to routine and emergency requests.

Education

• Requires high school diploma or equivalent.
• Completion of a formal Pharmacy Technician educational program and/or completion of an associate's degree preferred.

Skills, Knowledge, Education and Experience

• Previous pharmacy experience, hospital-based pharmacy experience preferred.
• Formal Pharmacy Technician program experiential education may be considered in lieu of work experience.

Licenses

• Licensure as pharmacy technician in the State of Michigan is required.

Essential Functions

• Reads and interprets physician's medication orders.
• Assists with filling, processing, and dispensing of medications.
• Maintains cleanliness and aseptic technique while following established departmental compounding practices and procedures.
• Packages and labels medications, including bulk supplies, with final check performed by a pharmacist.
• Mixes intravenous admixtures, including IVPBs, large volume parenterals, and total parenteral nutrition, if necessary.
• Delivers controlled substances and other medications to nursing units' automated medication dispensing cabinets (ADC).
• Delivers other medications, IV solutions, and necessary forms throughout the hospital on a regularly scheduled basis to patient care areas.
• Prepares medications and loads/unloads medication into ADC with appropriate bar code scanning.
• Fills inventory needs for nursing unit ADCs, non-cabinet stock, and fills unit dose drawers.
• Supports the drug inventory process including rotation and restocking of drug dispensing areas with drugs and supplies needed to process patient medication orders.
• Ensures the maintenance of a clean and orderly work area.
• Answers phones according to established phone etiquette and directs calls to the proper personnel.
• Determines when phone calls or emergency situations need to be referred to a pharmacist.
• Completes nursing unit inspections, as assigned.
• Restocks crash cart trays and OCMCA boxes etc., as required in a timely manner.
• Alerts the pharmacists or pharmacy management of any discrepancies.
• Fills controlled substance orders and reconciles all discrepancies on a daily basis.
• Reports any discrepancies to the pharmacist or pharmacy management as appropriate.
• Maintains awareness of any unusual activity for potential drug diversion.