Pharmacy Practice Assistant, Pharmacy

Click here to apply as an internal applicant.

Company :  IWK Health

Requisition ID : 200394

Department / Program : Pharmacy Distribution , Pharmacy

Location :   Halifax

Type of Employment : Casual Relief position(s) - seeking summer students

Start Date : 04 / 07 / 2025

Union Status :   NSGEU Hlthcare , Healthcare Bargaining Unit

Compensation : $ 24.9695   - $ 30.0077 / hour

Closing Date :   30-Apr-25   (Applications are accepted until 23 : 59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia . People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values , and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black / African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants / Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the Pharmacy Operations Manager, and with professional accountability to the Pharmacy Practice Leader, the Pharmacy Practice Assistant will provide technical support in the handling and distribution of medications including the dispensing of inpatient and outpatient prescriptions, medication order entry, ward stock maintenance including automated dispensing cabinets, manufacturing of sterile and non-sterile pharmaceuticals, including TPN, chemotherapy, hazardous drugs, unit dose packaging, on-call services, materials management activities, reporting of statistics and costs, and quality assurance. They will provide clinical support by meeting with patients and gathering medication-related information to create best possible medication history, assisting Pharmacists in the implementation and monitoring of the patient medication care plan, and providing instruction to patients on medication-related tools and devices. They will precept learners and provide orientation to new staff.

Seeking students of Pharmacy and Pharmacy Technician program. Candidates will be placed on the Pharmacy Practice Assistant pay scale until demonstration of successful licensure with the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists as a Pharmacy Technician.

Hours of Work

0700-1500, 0800-1600, 1300-2100. Days, evenings, weekends, holidays

Your Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in Pharmacy Technician or Pharmacy program (accredited program preferred).
• Licensure or eligible with Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists as a Pharmacy Technician is an asset.
• Two years as a hospital pharmacy technician / pharmacy practice assistant experience, an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to perform mathematical calculations related to medications.
• Knowledge of the law and regulations pertaining to the receipt, storage and distribution of medications, including Controlled Substances.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, inventory control and record keeping
• Basic typing skills or computer / keyboard experience; skills in Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, Skype, Webex
• Experience in unit dose drug distribution systems, automation technology, decentralized medication dispensing cabinets, an asset.
• Meditech experience, an asset.
• Knowledge of sterile technique and special precautions used with hazardous drugs an asset.
• Knowledge of USP Chapter

Standards, NAPRA Standards, Accreditation Standards and CSHP Compounding Guidelines for Pharmacies are assets.

Ethical, Legal and Professional Responsibilities

Patient Care

Product Distribution

Practice Setting

Health Promotion

Knowledge and Research Application

Communication and Education

Intra and Inter-Professional Collaboration

Quality and Safety

Attention to Detail

Communication

Planning and Prioritizing Work

Interpersonal Skills

Teamwork and Collaboration

Competency in other languages an asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview / testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Healthcare   bargaining  unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and / or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An  offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.