Pharmacist

Job Purpose & Position Overview

This position is located in the Pharmacy Department of the Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System. The employee serves as a clinical pharmacist providing quality pharmaceutical services to eligible patients in accordance with Federal and State law and accepted ethical standards. Work is performed on an assigned basis; however, the incumbent may be required to work beyond normal duty hours to complete assignments or to ensure coverage. Shift changes will be required to allow pharmacist coverage during the hours of operation. Incumbent may be required to work on a rotational basis for shift, weekend and holiday duty as needed and assigned

Specific Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Human Resource’s department core mission, vision, and values.

Routine Pharmacist Duties

Those duties that are performed on a regular basis and which involve direct patient care. Examples of such duties are as follows:

• Selects, procures, prepares, and dispenses only those medications that conform to standards of quality for potency, purity, and effectiveness at the time they are administered or used by the patient.

• Responsible for proper interpretation of prescriptions and the dispensing of medications and drugs as prescribed.

• Reviews patient medical records for safety, appropriateness, and effectiveness of drug therapy by alerting medical staff to any prescription or dosage that can be harmful or dangerous to patients.

• Specifies and labels directions and precautions to assure proper protection of the contents and protection of the patient.

• Properly stores and protects drugs and chemicals to prevent reactions from external influences such as light, temperature, humidity, or interaction with the container.

• Consults and provides a wide range of drug information to the community and clinic staff.

• Counsels patients on the use, storage, cautions and side effects of all medications dispensed as well as documentation of cognitive services provided.

• Interview patients to ascertain significant past medical history and medication history. Evaluate medication regimens for appropriateness, drug interactions, therapeutic duplications, non-compliance and adverse drug events.

• Restocks the automated dispensing machines and areas and performs daily maintenance functions on automated equipment. The pharmacist is also responsible for maintaining their login to the automated cabinets.

• The pharmacist is responsible for keeping an accurate count of medications, especially controlled medications, to prevent diversion of medications through theft and fraud and prescription drug abuse.

• Routine duties shall include providing pharmacy and drug information services to individuals eligible for services in homes, schools, clinics, job sites, and other community locations with the area.

Clinical Pharmacist Duties

Those duties that are performed in addition to routine pharmacist duties depending on staffing availability as well as pharmacist national/local credentialing:

• Participates in facility Improving Patient Care (IPC) initiative, attends morning huddles and improvement meetings as assigned, and works with the designated clinic team.

• Conducts clinic-authorized outpatient pharmacy clinics (i.e., Coumadin clinic, Tobacco cessation, Hepatitis C) following appropriate national and/or local training as well as established facility policies and procedures.

• Takes the appropriate health history, performs limited physical assessment, follows and adjusts the developed treatment plan, and monitors the patient's outcome to the prescribed treatment plan related to the specialized pharmacy clinics. Discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and alerts provider when necessary.

• Document all clinical activities, update problem lists, and update medication allergy information in the medical records.

• May order and interpret laboratory tests as related to the specialized pharmacy clinics.

• Provide pharmaceutical services to focus on therapeutic drug monitoring. Analyze medication regimens to ensure the most effective, least toxic, and most economical treatment plan.

• Serve as a therapeutic consultant to the medical staff.

• Cancel or discontinue prescriptions if the patient is no longer using the medication, the medication is being replaced by another, or if the medication is adding no therapeutic benefit.

• Prescriptions may be initiated for medical staff approved formulary agents or expendable medical supplies.

• Prescriptions may be renewed, until the next visit with the appropriate provider, if they have expired or were previously canceled in error.

• Prescriptions may be written to change doses or clarify orders (correction) on existing medications.

Education

• Provide formal and informal education and in-services to medical staff, pharmacy, and nursing staff, as requested.

• Provide training for pharmacy students.

• Provide orientation to nurses and medical providers.

• Provide education to patients and their families about medications, common disease states and information on health promotion.

Performance Improvement

• Collaborates with other health professionals to develop treatment protocols, standards of practice, and policies.

• Participate in ongoing quality assurance and performance improvement activities including audits, chart reviews, and development of review criteria.

• Participate in peer reviews and workload assessments.

Required Qualifications/Skills:

• A broad professional knowledge of the theories, principles, practice, and techniques of clinical and basic pharmacy to provide direct patient services.

• Knowledge of the physical and chemical properties and characteristics of substances, therapeutic action of drugs, and the principles of chemical, biological, pharmacological, and biopharmaceutical science.

• Knowledge in planning, monitoring, and evaluation of drug therapy in a clinical setting.

• Knowledge of appropriate resource and reference material and their use.

• Knowledge of all aspects of pharmacy general operations, including but not limited to electronic charting and prescriptions processing along with general pharmacy automation.

• Ability to collect, organize, record, and communicate in a meaningful way relevant primary health assessments, medical history, and physical findings, and selective laboratory tests to function as an independent practitioner within the medical staff approved pharmacy clinics.

• Ability to communicate with patients regarding the disease state, desired outcomes, laboratory tests, proper administration, use, actions, precautions, and storage of their medications.

• Ability to communicate with other health providers in regards to the total treatment of the patient.

• Ability to work independently, to plan, coordinate, and implement projects and to complete projects on schedule.

• Knowledge of current healthcare industry Privacy Act and security requirements.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Works under the general supervision of the Pharmacy Director who plans the program, determines policy, and sets the overall objectives and priorities. The employee is self-directed and must exercise latitude in planning and carry out of health care assignments that may involve undertaking new procedures, practices, and approaches. The employee must consult with other members of the medical staff on a routine basis to develop the best treatment plan for patients. The employee has the responsibility for planning and carrying out these objectives independently and interpreting policy on own their own initiative in terms of established objectives. The employee keeps the supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial matters. Completed work is reviewed and evaluated only periodically and from an overall standpoint. The professional work is reviewed on the basis of effectiveness and compatibility in providing pharmacy services.

Guidelines:

• Guidelines available include: AAAHC, Conditions on Medicare-Medicaid Participation, Hospital Pharmacy Policy and Procedure manual, and standard pharmacy reference texts which are appropriate for preparing and dispensing medications. Incumbent works within the framework of established guidelines, standards of care or protocols; however guidelines are not completely applicable to every situation. Incumbent uses initiative and resourcefulness in deviating from, extending traditional methods or researches trends to develop or recommend new or modified methods and practices. Individual uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines to patient needs and facility management.

Complexity:

• The work includes pharmacy duties involving different and unrelated processes and methods. The decision regarding what needs to be done depends on the issues involved in each assignment. The work required independent judgment wherein error could result in adverse patient outcomes. Work covers assessments, medical history, development, and implementing of care plans, evaluation of effectiveness, and modification or change of treatment. Identifies fine differences between drugs as they relate to the therapeutic efficacy of the product. Prior to dispensing, reviews the patient's medical record for therapeutic appropriateness including diagnosis/treatment and patient allergy (drug interaction screening). As necessary, suggests alternative medications to avoid incompatibilities, alleviate side effects, overcome potentiating drug combinations, and prevent antagonistic reactions. Position must be able to provide pharmaceutical care services and drug information to all medical specialists within the facility.

Scope and Effect:

• The purpose of the work is to provide a broad range of quality clinical pharmacy services and assure that acceptable Pharmaceuticals are used in a program of rational drug delivery. The work affects the patient's health and error in judgment could result in negative patient outcomes. The incumbent serves as a therapeutic consultant to medical staff as is self-directed, exercising latitude in planning out health care assignments that may involve undertaking new procedures, practices, and approaches. The work directly affects the health and well-being of patients and families, the total reservation community, and the pharmacy program and services provided. The extent of the scope of the clinical pharmacist is determined and granted by the Medical Staff of the facility.

Personal Contacts:

• Contacts are with staff members and health care professionals in the health center and hospital; with outpatients, families, community and tribal leaders, community health representatives, and the general public. Contacts are also with business representatives, drug industry representatives, and professional organizations. May serve as a preceptor for students and provides educational programs to the health professional staff, specific patients, and/or tribal groups as requested by their supervisor. Represents the pharmacy in meetings with other professional organizations, public meetings, or drug industry representatives.

Purpose of Contacts:

• Contacts are with patients, families, physicians, and other health professionals to explain and review (he treatment care plan and desired outcomes. Contacts with the medical and nursing staff are to provide a broad range of professional expertise regarding clinical pharmacy and Pharmaceuticals as well as pharmacy policies and procedures. Pharmacy contacts with outpatients are to ensure safe and effective compliance with drug regimens and to monitor chronic drug therapy. Pharmacy contacts with the general public, community, tribal leaders, and health-oriented community representatives are to provide health education presentations on a wide variety of health/pharmacy related subjects. Contacts with business representatives are to elicit from these individuals information regarding their company's products and services available. Established good public relations are essential in order to carry out the goals and objectives of the facility.

Required Qualifications/Skills: 

• Active and unrestricted state Pharmacist License
• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree

Training Requirements:

• Must attend all department meetings and trainings as directed by supervisor.

Physical Requirements:

• Manual dexterity with cooperatively free range of motion of all extremities including neck, fingers, hands, wrists, elbows, arms, shoulders, waist, legs, hips, knee joints, ankles, and feet is required.

• Regularly required to walk, stand, and sit for extended periods of time and use hands to operate computer keyboard, phone, and various office equipment.

• Normal to medium work which includes the ability to lift up to 30 lbs.

• While performing daily duties, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.

Cognitive Requirements:

• Reading, writing, calculating.

• Excellent social interaction skills.

• Ability to reasoning, understand and analysis project data.

• Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team.

• Good negotiation skills to ensure key stakeholder needs are understood and met.

Language Requirements:

• Must possess the ability to read, write, and speak the English language fluently.

• Must be able to continually and effectively employ professional verbal and written communications skills.

Certificates, Licenses & Registrations:

• All applicants will comply with 45 CFR 1301, Subpart D, Section 1301.31, C and D, which require all prospective employees to sign a declaration prior to employment regarding all arrests and convictions of child abuse or violent felonies and to comply with PL 101-630 and PL 101-637 regarding criminal records check.

WCHS is an equal opportunity employer. Employment practices are free of discrimination. As provided by Federal Law, all qualified Native American applicants shall receive preference over Non-Native American applicants. In the absence of qualified Native American applicants, consideration will be given to all other applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, disability or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.

Please note the position description duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.