Clinical Staff Pharmacist (PRN, LGH)

The Clinical Staff Pharmacist ensures the safe use of medications within the health system in support of high quality patient care. The pharmacist performs medication management-related tasks for the health system by carrying out the evaluation, order entry, compounding, packaging, dispensing and ensuring the safe handling of medications in compliance with state and federal laws as well as standards and regulations set forth by accrediting and regulatory agencies.  The pharmacist utilizes information systems and medical records to obtain patient information and performs the appropriate clinical functions, promotes rational drug therapy, performs patient consultations and supports other clinical pharmacy initiatives to improve medication safety across the organization. 

Responsibilities         

•            Evaluates medication orders for appropriate indication, dose, route, strength, dosage form, and frequency of administration in relation to the medication history and current medication orders utilizing fundamental clinical pharmacy knowledge.

•            Utilizes pharmacy information and drug dispensing system.  Maintains and troubleshoots pharmacy automation and drug dispensing devices.

•            Dispenses medication accurately in a timely fashion with appropriate labeling, storage, and education necessary to safely and effectively administer.

•            Knowledgeable of sterile and non-sterile pharmaceutical compounding principles - United States Pharmacopeia (USP) 795 & 797. Ensures accuracy and safe preparation of compounded sterile and non-sterile medications including the safe handling of hazardous medications - United States Pharmacopeia (USP 800).

•            Compounds oral, topical, and intravenous products. Compounds parenteral nutrition, cancer chemotherapy, neonatal and other special products as assigned. Manufactures products using various equipment such as a laminar airflow hood, biological safety cabinet, compounding aseptic isolator, or clean room as assigned.  Ensure compliance with USP Standards.

•            Applies knowledge of clinical fundamentals. Reviews the medical record and makes appropriate recommendations for drug therapy.

•            Makes dose recommendations utilizing pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles. 

•            Prepares outpatient prescriptions and creates required documents.

•            Provides timely and accurate drug information to prescribers and other health care team members.

•            Knowledge of drug procurement procedures.  Secures emergency supplies of medication when needed. Assures proper drug storage. Assigns appropriate beyond use dates.

•            Recognizes medication errors, adverse drug events, and controlled substance losses, files complete reports, analyzes causes, evaluates alternative strategies for avoidance, and makes recommendations for improvement.

•            Supervises pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns in a ratio not to exceed that defined by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy.

•            Coaches and trains new personnel, residents, interns and other students. Precepts pharmacy residents during practice site rotation, as assigned.

•            Consults with medical staff to design custom drug regimens based on specific patient parameters including weight fluid status renal function liver function and disease state that minimize drug toxicity and optimize outcomes. Recommends and monitors therapy.

•            Completes critical patient monitoring and reviews patient profile to identify, prevent, or mitigate drug-related problems, improper drug or dose selection, sub therapeutic dosage, over dosage, adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, untreated indications, medication use without an indication, and treatment failures.

•            Evaluates medication orders for appropriate indication, dose, route, strength, dosage form, and frequency of administration in relation to the medication history and current medication orders utilizing advanced clinical pharmacy knowledge.

•            Formulates total parenteral nutrition based on specific patient parameters including calorie consumption, fluid status, electrolyte balance, acid-base status, organ function and disease state; monitors daily for adjustments.

•            Performs pain assessments and designs pain management care plans.  Makes recommendations and monitors therapy.

•            Participates in antibiotic stewardship program and other restricted medication programs.

•            Communicates effectively and appropriately with caregivers and assures continuity between transitions of care. 

•            Delivers direct patient care and clinical practice, by working as an active member of a multidisciplinary team and collaborates with healthcare providers within decentralized patient care areas to provide patient-centered care programs.

•            Makes appropriate evidence-based, patient-centered medication recommendations.

•            Responds to medical emergencies (code blue) and assists as needed.

•            Facilitates pharmacy care services and medication utilization systems in assigned practice area to assure drug utilization activities are aligned with patient care needs, evidence-based best practices, and regulatory standards. 

•            Actively identifies practice related issues which require evaluation and facilitate clinical research projects, quality improvement initiatives, or healthcare provider education as needed to advance practice.

•            Evaluates medical literature and participates in medication use evaluations.

•            Develops IPPE and APPE student and staff training experiences/competencies and creates new relationships for teaching and training opportunities.

•            Identifies, designs, and implements improvements in the medication-use system to advance patient safety, maximize therapeutic outcomes, or control costs.

•            Performs any duties of a pharmacist as required.

Other Functions:

•            Serves as a member of various committees when needed.

•            Maintains strict confidentiality of all information, including financial/operational, employee/human resource, healthcare/patient data and information. 

•            Performs other duties as assigned.

•            This role oversees and verifies the work of pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns. 

Required Education:  Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. Graduate from an accredited school of pharmacy. 

Required Certifications and Licensures:  Licensed to practice pharmacy in the state of Virginia.

Required Experience / Skills:  3 years of hospital practice experience or ASHP Hospital residency (Post Graduate Year 1 – PGY1)  

Salary Range:  $60.18 - $90.27 per hour