Pharmacist

Req ID:
Department/Program: Pharmacy Distribution 50% - Oncology 50%
Location: Halifax
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT ( % FTE) x 1 position(s)
Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare , Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $ 43. - $ 55. /hour
Closing Date : June 17, (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 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across . 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 , and enjoy access to enhanced 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 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.

Reporting directly to the Clinical Pharmacy Manager, with professional accountability to the Pharmacy Professional Practice Leader, the pharmacist will work within an integrated drug distribution/clinical practice model - with an equal balance of both distributive and clinical oncology responsibilities. The pharmacist will have direct patient care responsibilities as part of interdisciplinary teams in a program-based setting and will also provide pharmaceutical care by designing, implementing and monitoring a therapeutic plan based on current evidence-based knowledge to achieve definite outcomes.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to

• Provides and supervises pharmacy drug distribution services to IWK Health patients (including compounding and dispensing of sterile and nonsterile products).
• Provides direct, patient-focused care in a multi-disciplinary team environment. Conducts best possible medication histories (BPMH), medication reconciliation, discharge planning and patient/family medication counseling.
• Provides therapeutic drug monitoring, drug utilization evaluation and in-service education for health professionals and patients/families.
• Provides drug information and development and/or review of medication protocols specific to clinical practice.
• Actively participates in patient care rounds, outpatient clinic visits and meetings on assigned care area(s); attending/presenting case presentations.
• Documents and communicates pharmaceutical care plan for chemotherapy and supportive care medications to medical, nursing, allied health professional staff, patient/family in collaboration with the attending physician during course of treatment and on transitions of care.
• Liaises with team lead 6L pharmacy satellite, main dispensary and clinical oncology technician to ensure continuity of services provided with clinical needs.
• Liaises with community pharmacists and pharmacists and health professionals in other health care settings.
• Provides student experiential learning opportunities and mentoring of other staff for on-site clinical education, including but not limited to pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, nurses and physicians.
• Provides on-call pharmacy services.
• Participates in development and implementation of standards, policies, and procedures.
• Participates in, conducts and coordinates quality assurance and medication safety activities, formulary management, drug library (smart pump) maintenance.
• Participates on health centre and unit-based committees; and other duties as required.
  

Days, evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call on rotation; 75 hours bi-weekly.

Required:

• Entry level pharmacy degree from a CCAPP (or similar standard) accredited university (includes Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy or Pharm D).
• Completion of a Hospital Pharmacy Residency Program or equivalent professional experience.
• Licensure or eligible with the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists as an Active Direct Patient Care Pharmacist.
• Certified or eligible for certification as an immunizer under the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists.
• Current successful completion of CPR Level C Health Care Provider or Basic Life Support (BLS) course required within the last 12 months.

Desired Assets:

• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a hospital pharmacy setting preferred.
• Active member of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists.
• Experience in pediatrics and/or hematology/oncology.
• Familiarity with Children’s Oncology Group protocols
• Ability to apply critical thinking skills to prevent and resolve drug related problems and evidence-based practice.
• Ability to think reflectively, question assumptions, access alternatives and to lead and support change.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work responsibilities and to work well under time pressures.
• Background in critical review and appraisal of scientific literature and its practical application.
• Demonstrated clinical skills- patient assessment, drug therapy assessment, drug information and able to make accurate and timely recommendations regarding safe and cost-effective use of medications.
• Ability to work both independently, but collaboratively and in a complex team environment.
• Teaching skills for the purpose of teaching/mentoring- undergraduate (pharmacy, medicine) students, post graduate students (pharmacy, medicine, nurse practitioner), residents, pharmacy staff, other health care professionals and learners.
• Experience in evidence based clinical research.
• Experience in automated hospital drug distribution systems, computer generated MARS, smart pumps, patient information systems.
• Demonstrated skills using word processing, database applications such as Microsoft Office Suite (Access, Word, Excel and Powerpoint), Sharepont, Zoom, Webex or other virtual platforms.
• Self-motivated, independent worker with strong oral and written communication, interpersonal, organizational and team building, problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Patient and Family Centred Care.
• Demonstrated enthusiasm for patient safety and medication safety.
• Demonstrated interest in professional development and lifelong learning.
• Competencies in other languages as asset.