Pharmacist, Community Pharmacy Services

Detailed Overview

The Pharmacist provides distribution pharmacy services by performing duties such as interpreting medication orders / prescriptions, assessing prescriptions for therapeutic suitability and ensuring that medications are efficiently and accurately dispensed and / or compounded and labelled and that dispensing records are complete.

Communicates with physicians, clients, and / or other health care team members for prescription clarification and problem resolution.

Provides instructions to others on proper use / administration, storage and / or disposal, possible side effects of prescribed and self selected medications.

Participates in the collection of data for medication use evaluation projects, implementation of dispensary based medication safety initiatives, quality control activities, contributes to internal publications and participates in clinical drug trials in accordance with established standards and procedures.

Additionally, the Pharmacist functions as a Clinical Pharmacist responsible for ensuring select client drug therapy problems are resolved.

Participates in rounds and / or health care team meetings and documents client specific therapeutic plans. Responsibilities Interprets medication orders / prescriptions and dispenses medications using a computerized medication information system in accordance with legal, professional, and departmental policies, procedures and standards.

Assesses prescriptions for therapeutic suitability by assessing the client's health status and needs. This can include obtaining information from appropriate sources, referring to standardized references (primary drug information texts), interpreting laboratory data, and / or reviewing client specific demographics.

Reviews client profiles for any client allergies, potential drug interactions, therapeutic duplications or contraindications.

Exercises appropriate professional judgement for an appropriate intervention (which may include withholding medications) until safety concerns are resolved.

Communicates with physicians, clients, and / or other health care team members for prescription clarification and problem resolution.

Documents the outcome of the interaction with the prescriber and / or other health care team members. Provides instructions to others on proper use / administration, storage and / or disposal, possible side effects of prescribed and self-selected medications, etc.

Communicates verbally and in writing, with physicians, nurses and other professionals and provides drug information using appropriate reference material.

Participates in obtaining information about the client's health, obtaining the client's medication history, and verifies any allergy information and assists with the medication reconciliation process.

Ensures that medications are efficiently and accurately dispensed and / or compounded and labelled and that dispensing records are completed.

Provides medication counselling regarding drug therapy to clients and / or their representative, as required. Provides allergy assessment and medication counselling for appropriate clients.

Documents client interactions in the client health care record in a standardized format. Reviews client screening reports or targeted drug lists and identifies potential drug therapy problems based on available laboratory data.

Provides basic drug monitoring support and dose recommendations for clients on certain high risk medications. Participates in the collection of data for medication use evaluation projects and documents the required information.

Assists in maintaining adequate inventories, notes shortages, requisitions drugs and / or supplies and monitors expiry dates, reports procedural errors and participates in quality improvement activities.

Participates in dispensary based implementation of medication safety initiatives and quality control activities in accordance with established standards and procedures.

Maintains records for narcotic and controlled drugs, special access program drugs and departmental statistics in accordance with legal, professional and departmental standards, polices and procedures.

Participates in the orientation of pharmacy students, residents, technicians, assistants and new staff members by demonstrating dispensary related functions, procedures, techniques and department equipment and by providing verbal guidance and input regarding progress, as assigned.

Contributes to internal publications and participates in clinical drug trials by dispensing medications and completing associated documentation.

Reviews cases of reported drug adverse reactions and completes necessary documentation. Participates in staff meetings, committees and other programs as required;

identifies opportunities to improve processes and / or procedures to enable safe and efficient operations and refers to supervisor and / or others.

Functions as a clinical pharmacist responsible for ensuring select client drug therapy problems are resolved. Participates in rounds and / or health care team meetings and documents client specific therapeutic plans.

Performs other related duties as assigned. Qualifications Education and Experience Current registration as a Pharmacist with the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia.

Skills and Abilities Knowledge of drug distribution processes in a community setting. Ability to communicate effectively using appropriate verbal, non-verbal, and written skills.

Ability to demonstrate and model empathy and incorporate trauma informed practices into day-to-day practice. Ability to exercise appropriate professional judgement while upholding legislative requirements.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other health care practitioners, as well as clients, family members and the public.

Ability to work collaboratively with individuals and teams. Ability to organize and prioritize work. Ability to operate related equipment and effectively use related software applications.

Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.