Clinical Pharmacist - Transitions of Care

Clinical functions

• Establishes, implements, and maintains impactful, daily team-based medication optimization for inpatient psychiatric admissions.
• Supports admission medication reconciliation as a decentralized clinical pharmacist station in the psychiatric admissions department.
• Adheres to McLean Hospital formulary whenever possible and provides recommendations for therapeutic interchange as necessary.
• Collaborates with other healthcare disciplines to develop optimal admission plans for patients.
• Participates in the Department's clinical initiatives and programs, including therapeutic drug monitoring, antimicrobial stewardship, anticoagulation stewardship, and medication reconciliation.
• Works with pharmacy administration and hospital leadership to conceptualize, develop, and initiate valuable, sustainable clinical pharmacy services.
• Supports and continuously assesses clinical initiatives.
• Serves as pharmacist lead of a clinical or supportive pharmacy program and its associated quality improvement program.
• Interfaces with the healthcare team to ensure optimal medication therapy.
• Utilizes patient specific information when interpreting, reviewing, and approving medication orders to assess safety and efficacy, including, but not limited to:
  • Age
  • Sex
  • Diagnoses
  • Allergies
  • Sensitivities
  • Current medications
  • Height and weight (when necessary)
  • Pregnancy and lactation information (when necessary)
  • Laboratory results (when necessary)
• Ensures appropriateness of drug dose, frequency, and duration for each medication ordered prior to approving. Clarifies any ambiguities with prescriber.
• Documents patient care, clinical work, and medication interventions within the medical record.
• Reviews clinical impact of medication errors and assists with root cause analysis.
• Serves as a hospital resource for drug information and utilizes appropriate reference materials when necessary.
• Responds to drug information requests with accurate information in a timely manner.
• Assists in reviewing and revising the drug formulary, along with guidelines for drug use.
• Participates in educating nurses, patients, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy interns, and other pharmacists as needed.
• Participates as needed in hospital committees, such as Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, Continuous Quality Improvement Committee, Infection Control Committee, Fall Prevention Committee, etc.
• Collects and assesses medication usage data.
• Monitors the tracking of clozapine patients and reporting of blood work levels to the Clozapine Registry according to Pharmacy Department Policy.
• Serves as a respectable pharmacy liaison to other departments.
• Facilitates learning for pharmacy interns.
• Provides educational lectures or written reports as required.
• Maintains clinical and professional competency.
• Other tasks as assigned by Director of Pharmacy.
• Alerts Pharmacy Department administration of any clinical issues as they arise.

Operational functions

• Utilizes computerized order entry system and patient medical record to timely and accurately receive, interpret, review, and process medication orders for inpatients.
• Accurately prepares, labels, and dispenses medications based on medication orders according to Pharmacy Department Policies and Procedures and applicable laws.
• Supervises technicians in preparation of medications and verifies accuracy of all prepared orders including hospital prepared unit dosed medications.
• Prioritizes work to prepare dispenses in order of importance.
• Fills and/or verifies requisitions from inpatient units in a timely, accurate manner.
• Fills and/or verifies code carts and emergency kits in a timely, accurate manner.
• Verifies accuracy of technician prepared packaging.
• Ensures dispensed, circulating, and stocked medication is in-date and intact.
• Utilizes automated dispensing cabinets and technician runs to distribute medication.
• Reviews physicians' medication orders with regard to patient specific factors as indicated by department policies, good pharmacy practice, and Joint Commission standards.
• Provides medication recommendations to providers as needed.
• Reports errors, near misses, and pharmacist interventions according to Pharmacy Department Policies and Procedures.
• Suggests process improvement to Pharmacy Department administration when necessary.
• Fills and dispenses investigational product for research studies when necessary.
• Fulfils need for after-hours dispensing when optionally on-call.
• Maintains records as required by law to document medication transactions within the Pharmacy and throughout the hospital.
• Ensures completeness of daily logs, including refrigerator temperature.
• Holds hand-off discussion with on-coming shift as necessary.
• Practices pharmacy in accordance with federal and state law.
• Alerts Pharmacy Department administration of any problems with system software or hardware or medication distribution as they arise.
• Other tasks as assigned by Director of Pharmacy.

Inventory functions

• Assists technicians in maintaining optimal drug inventory by ensuring medication availability while maximizing inventory turns.
• Loans and borrows medications per Pharmacy Department policy as necessary.
• Assesses characteristics of new items added to the inventory including designation as hazardous, high-risk, regulated waste, easily confused, etc.
• Maintains security of controlled substances.
• Ensures barcodes are functional for all products.
• Performs weekly controlled drug inventory on a rotational basis.
• Performs monthly unit inspections as assigned.
• Alerts Pharmacy Department administration of any inventory issues as they arise.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Safety functions

• Safely uses departmental equipment.
• Disposes of waste appropriately in accordance with Pharmacy Department Policies and Procedures.
• Able to locate and follow SDS and hospital/departmental policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates knowledge of fire safety verbally.
• Notifies supervisor of any hazards immediately.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Quality Improvement

• Continuously assesses and improves the performance of care and services provided.
• Uses systematic methods to improve services, plan changes, and evaluate outcomes.
• Demonstrates effective problem solving techniques and promotes the same in others.
• Maintains awareness and actively supports the mission, goals, and objective of the hospital and department through CQI activities.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Staff Responsibilities

• Supervises (and is responsible for) pharmacy technicians in the performance of their functions.
• Attends and actively participates in team conferences and staff meetings/in-services.
• Complies with annual training requirements.
• Participates actively in committee meetings, as applicable.
• Participates actively in orientation and on-the-job training of assigned personnel.
• Arrives and leaves at schedule times; adheres to break and lunch time; willing to work overtime when necessary.
• Presents for work as scheduled; is rarely absent and never without legitimate excuse. Notifies supervisor well in advance of any absences or vacation time.
• Maintains a clean and professional appearance in both dress and grooming.
• Follows instructions/policy carefully and discusses deviations from procedure with supervisor before acting.
• Demonstrates organizational, time management and efficiency skills by prioritizing orders and activities.
• Requires no overtime for normal shifts.
• Demonstrates initiative and accepts increased responsibility.
• Maintains the pharmacy in a clean and neat manner as determined by the Pharmacy administration.
• Adapts to change in a constructive manner and demonstrates flexibility for extra activities and unexpected duties.
• Adheres to all Pharmacy Department policies and procedures, McLean Hospital safety rules, Joint Commission standards, and any other applicable regulatory agency.
• Completes special projects on time.
• Identifies own learning needs by seeking assistance as necessary.

• Willingly completes other duties as assigned or requested.
• Maintains unrestricted pharmacist licensure in the state of Massachusetts.

• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Customer Service

• Performs all tasks demonstrating service orientation to fellow employees and staff members to provide excellent customer service.
• Demonstrates, supports, and models the mission, vision, values and rules of conduct of McLean Hospital.
• Responds to concerns or requests of nurses, patients, doctors, employees, and the public.
• Maintains patient/employee confidentiality.
• Demonstrates appropriate judgment and communication skills when interacting with physicians, nursing, patients, and other hospital staff.
• Communicates written and verbal information clearly, accurately, and professionally in courteous manner and tone to all parties.
• Provides follow up as appropriate to ensure messages or instructions are understood.
• Responds to needs via telephone or pharmacy window promptly.
• Cooperates with others within and outside of department and coordinates work efforts.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Education:

BS and/or PharmD from an accredited College of Pharmacy. Residency experience required. PGY2 residency preferred. Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy or Psychiatry preferred.

License:

Current unrestricted pharmacy licensure in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Experience:

Previous hospital pharmacy experience required.

Work schedule:

Rotating shift including weekends, holidays, and on-call

Typical hospital pharmacy environment. Works under constant time deadlines. Occasionally exposed to possible carcinogenic, mutagenic, and sensitizing substances, as well as to other hazardous chemicals typically found in a contemporary pharmacy setting.

Moderate amount of stress in completing work assignments, meeting deadlines, and interacting with other healthcare professionals. Repetitive use of hands and fingers (i.e., use of computer keyboard) and labeling containers. Repetitive tasks are often performed with one hand only. Normal range of hearing and vision to perform work and communicate. Extended periods of standing, walking and bending. Some climbing of stairs and lifting/carrying material may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to work independently and handle stress appropriately. Ability to work cooperatively with other members of hospital and pharmacy staff. Ability to handle multiple tasks, and adapt to changes in workload and work schedule. Ability to set priorities, make critical decisions, and respond to client concerns. Fosters a team environment. Ability to communicate effectively (verbal and written).