Pharmacy Assistant

QUALIFICATIONS
- Pharmacy Assistant course from a recognized program
- Other combination of education and experience may be considered
- Evidence of ability to pass and maintain pharmacy technician or pharmacy assistant verification validation
- Province of Manitoba Class 5 Drivers License, and access to a personal vehicle to provide service within the Prairie Mountain Health
- Demonstrated leadership
- Demonstrated written and oral communication skills
- Ability to prioritize in a changing environment
- Strong organizational, decision making and problem solving skills
- Ability to display independent judgment
- Ability to respect and promote a culturally diverse population
- Ability to respect and promote confidentiality
- Ability to perform the duties of the position on a regular basis

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The Pharmacy Assistant shall be accountable to the location manager and is responsible for performing the technical functions necessary for the general day-to-day operation of the department; replenishing Pyxis med stations (where applicable), filling prescriptions, checking prepared medications for accuracy, entering patient information, running reports, maintaining records, sterile and non-sterile compounding, providing technical assistance in stock-flow control, training new pharmacy staff and performing other related duties as assigned.

**RESPONSIBILITIES**:
**Overview**:
**General**

1. Enters patient information into the applicable computer system for profile updates, label generation and charging purposes. Examples of information entered are: inpatient and outpatient refills, chemotherapy orders and leave of absence orders.

2. Generates patient specific reports (i.e. labels, profiles)

3. Generates and reviews selected non-patient specific reports (i.e. outpatient, inventory, statistical, narcotic, Pyxis). Reviews and adjusts reports and follows up with Pharmacist when necessary

4. Sorts and processes medications returned to pharmacy (i.e. return bin). Records, credits and returns medication to the stock location or discards medication

5. Assembles, files and maintains departmental records (i.e. prescriptions, patient profiles)

6. Performs intermediate checks on prepared medications for accuracy as per departmental procedure (i.e. strip packaged medications)

7. Directs inquiries from phone calls and visitors as applicable

8. Performs inspections of medication storage areas in pharmacy and on the nursing units for appropriate storage, cleanliness and expiry dates

9. Trains new pharmacy Assistants

10. Delivers medications to appropriate nursing units

11. Accumulates data and maintains records for departmental statistics (i.e. workload)

12. Handles cytotoxic and biological products

13. Orders stationary supplies

14. Monitors expiry of medications

**Inpatient Dispensing**

15. Fills prescriptions by selecting the medication, placing it into an appropriate container and affixing the label to the container

16. Performs extemporaneous compounding as required and maintains manufacturing records

17. Prepares medications for delivery or shipping as required

18. Stores and maintains records of patients’ medications from home

19. Counts and records quantity of narcotics on hand

20. Fills stock medication requisitions

21. Assists the Pharmacist in dispensing prescriptions

22. Issues and delivers controlled drugs and maintains records to non-Pyxis areas. Participates in inventory reconciliation

**PYXIS (where applicable)**

23. Runs Pyxis reports daily at the Pyxis console and assigns new patient specific medications to Pyxis med stations as required

24. Selects medications from stock for refill and loads Pyxis med stations

25. Loads assigned medications, refills standard medications and unloads medications without orders at Pyxis med stations

26. Responds to stock out bulletins, stock critical low bulletins, picks medication and refills the medication at Pyxis med stations

27. Checks and replenishes ward stock at each nursing unit

28. Maintains adequate supply of strip packaged medications for ward replenishment

29. Assists in maintaining appropriate medications and inventory in the Pyxis med stations

30. Empties Pyxis and non-Pyxis return bins and returns inventory

31. Checks expiry dates, inspects drug storage areas, maintains ward stock lists and organizes and labels cupboards

**Sterile Services**

32. Assembles medications and supplies required for patient specific and bulk sterile compounding

33. Assists in the preparation of sterile products, using aseptic technique, in the Horizontal Laminar Flow Hood, and Biological Safety Cabinets.

34. Performs batch and patient specific sterile compounding (i.e. adult Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), pediatric TPN, large and small volume parenterals, chemotherapy, epidurals)

35. Prepares sterile compounds

36. Stocks sterile room with supplies

**Inventory**

37. Maintains adequate inventory levels

38. Receives and verifies incoming drug shipm