Job Description
The Pharmacy Resident I reflects the mission, vision, and values of NMHC, adheres to the organizations Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
Pharmacy Residents are responsible for meeting the elements of the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists standards for residency in pharmacy practice with an emphasis on pharmaceutical care. In addition, they must function as a pharmacist by identifying, preventing, and/or resolving drug related problems, providing authoritative drug information to other health care professionals, patients, and the public, and ensuring that the information, clinical, and drug distribution components of the pharmaceutical services function are provided as an integrated system of pharmaceutical care to the patients and staff of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
** Responsibilities:**
- Interprets medication orders to ensure safety and proper use of medications and is alert to compatibilities, incompatibilities, drug duplication, drug allergies, and potential drug administration errors. Coordinates the solving of drug related problems between pharmacy, nursing, and physicians, demonstrating initiative and sound judgment.
- Evaluates and documents population and patient specific variables, assessing if the dose regimen is appropriate for achieving the desired therapeutic outcome. Patient weight, body surface area, age, maturation, sex, renal and hepatic function, pharmacokinetic parameters, and concurrent conditions and medications should be considered in the determination of the dose and dose interval of any drug. Note: Special consideration should be given to the requirements of the neonatal and geriatric populations. .
- Evaluates and documents that the drug(s) selected are appropriate for achieving the desired therapeutic outcome. Communicates potential problems and likely solutions to the prescribing physician.
- Monitors drug therapy for significant drug-drug, drug-diet, or drug-laboratory test interactions. Intervenes in circumstances of significant interactions, therapeutic duplications, and other occasions where pharmaceutical, pharmacologic, and pharmacokinetic expertise is warranted.
- Acts as a consultant in the areas of pharmacokinetics and adverse drug reactions to physicians, nurses and other health professionals. Determines individual patient and pharmacokinetic parameters, calculates drug dosage and schedule, and notifies physician. Documents consultations in the progress notes of the medical record.
- Acts to limit drug use to formulary items whenever therapeutically appropriate.
- Assists in educating, training, and supervising professional and supportive staff, and pharmacy students. Participates in hospital continuing education programs including those for nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and other health professionals.
- Uses skills of persuasiveness and assertiveness, as well as sensitivity to others point of view, to influence the behavior and opinions of professional and technical colleagues.
- Communicates professional knowledge effectively in both oral and written forms to patients and other health professionals.
- Maintains the pharmacy patient profile. The profile should include age, maturation, weight, allergies, diagnosis, estimated and actual pharmacokinetic parameters, and pertinent information that may effect drug therapy decisions.
- Oversees the packaging, labeling, and distribution of medications for all patients and employees according to established policies, procedures, and guidelines. Monitors the use of scheduled drugs on the nursing units and maintains controlled inventories of medication in the dispensing areas.
- Organizes, prioritizes, and plans workload within given time constraints. Works cooperatively with fellow pharmacists to oversee and direct the activities of the work area, to assign work to technicians, and to ensure that the established Department objectives are accomplished.
- Reviews nursing unit stock levels monthly to ensure that (A) all medications are within the expiration date and have not deteriorated (B) storage requirements are met, and (C) only approved medications are present. Resolves any problems that arise.
- Works closely with the Practice Coordinators and Managers in implementing policies and procedures of the Department. Recommends possible improvements and assists in upgrading the quality of pharmacy service by participating in Department and Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee quality management activities.