JOB TITLE: Trainee Pharmacy Technician
1. PURPOSE OF POSITION
This position is responsible for helping to provide a customer focused pharmacy service using best practice guidelines to achieve optimal outcomes. This will ensure that patient’s inTaranaki District Health Board hospitals receive appropriate, prompt, safe and cost-effective medication therapy. Pharmacy Technicians work under the supervision of a Pharmacist.
2. ORGANISATIONAL VALUES
The Taranaki District Health Board (TDHB) is committed to the strategic actions and behaviours of ‘Work Together’:
• Treating people with trust, respect and compassion • Communicating openly, honestly and acting with integrity • Enabling professional and organisational standards to be met • Support achievement and acknowledging successes
• Creating healthy and safe environments
• Welcoming new ideas
3. DIMENSIONS
Reports to: Senior Technician
Number of people reporting to you -
Financial limits authority -
Operating Budget -
4. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
External Internal
Other DHB Hospital Pharmacies Community Pharmacies
Pharmaceutical Suppliers
Pharmacy Department staff including eMedication Management roles Pharmacy Senior Management Team Nursing staff
Other TDHB staff Public and patients
5. ACCOUNTABILITIES
Key area of responsibility Expected outcomes
1. Medicine Distribution Service
Medicines are provided to hospital inpatients and outpatients, safely and efficiently and in accordance with legislative
requirements.
• Participate in all Pharmacy Technician rostered duties in the Pharmacy Department as designated by the Senior
Technician.
• All statutory, legislative and DHB requirements must be met when medicines are dispensed and/or supplied.
• Provide accurate and timely profiling, authorisation and dispensing services, in conjunction with the pharmacists, when individual medicine charts are received from the wards/departments.
• Act as Dispensary Co-Ordinator when rostered on this duty. • Complete any additional duties to ensure the smooth and
efficient operation of the dispensary.
• Maintain imprest stock levels of medicines on Pyxis wards and refill medicines to these machines on a daily basis. • Participate in regular expiry date checking of medicines
held in ward imprest stocks (including Controlled Drugs) as directed by the Senior Technician.
• Transport Controlled Drugs to the appropriate wards and facilitate their refill into Pyxis medstations or entry into the appropriate ward safe and register.
• Maintain records for Controlled Drug and Restricted Drug transactions for wards.
• Complete requisitions and issue and send stock to other areas as required.
• Action the replacement and issuing of stock for crash kits and other emergency kits.
• Repack medicines from bulk packs according to Ministry of Health “Health and Disability Services, Pharmacy Service Standard” guidelines, and Pharmacy Department policies and procedures.
• Assist with the ordering and storage of chemotherapy agents as per Taranaki Base Hospital Pharmacy Department protocols.
• Assist with the dispensing and delivery of chemotherapy agents to the appropriate ward/department.
• Assist with the preparation of fortnightly chemotherapy claims from the Pharmac.
• Maintain a tidy work area.
• Maintain cleaning procedures in the dispensary, sterile/ non sterile manufacturing and chemotherapy areas as designated.
2. Preparation of Pharmaceuticals Extemporaneously
compounded sterile and non sterile pharmaceuticals are prepared in accordance with recognised protocols/ guidelines
• Assist with the compounding and dispensing of sterile and non-sterile products, as per Pharmacy Department protocols and procedures.
• Participate in weekly/monthly clean down.
• Ensure stock of compounding products (ie TPN, filters, gowns etc) are maintained efficiently.
• Ensure sterility testing is carried out as per protocol. Ensure main whiteboard is updated daily with correct date and items for manufacture on that day.
• Ensure all orders for sterile manufacturing have been received by 10.30am. Where orders have not been
received, the Nutrition Support Pharmacist should be asked to contact prescribers.
Ensure preparation of items for manufacture is commenced no later than 11.00am on a daily basis. If necessary,
preparation can begin without an order but cannot be approved for manufacture until the order is received. Ensure products are swabbed in by 1.00pm.
• Ensure delivery of products to wards/ patients in a timely manner.
3. Stock Maintenance Medicine supplies are maintained so that “out of stock” and expired stock” situations are minimised.
• Participate in daily rolling stock takes and check expired stock on a systematic basis.
• Generate Pharmacy Wholesalers Ltd (PWL) automatic order (or manual order if necessary) and organise with supplier for delivery, if applicable.
• Unpack and reconcile incoming pharmaceuticals. • Order, store, record and distribute vaccines as required. • Ensure stock is rotated on the pharmacy shelves and Pyxis
medstations.
• Liaise with Stock Co-ordinator regarding pharmacy stock levels, expiring stock and record stock for order on the stock order pad.
• Action credits for return to suppliers when they arise. • Imprest reviews in conjunction with ward Pharmacist. • Process returns from wards.
4. Clerical Responsibilities Computer and hard copy
record keeping is complete and accurate
• Ensure all computerised records are accurate and up-to-date.
• Maintain tidy, complete and accurate document records when required.
• Produce outpatient invoices when required. • Participate in protocol review as designated.
• Completion of monthly QA checklist and filing of records as per QA checklists.
• Provide cover for Administration Officer as required by the Senior Technician (receipt stock, invoice and reconcile PWL weekly statement as required)
Organisational Accountabilities Expected Outcome for all employees
Treaty of Waitangi The Taranaki District Health Board embraces the three
principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. In practical terms this means:
• Partnership; working together with iwi, hapu, whanau and Maori communities to develop strategies for improving the health status of Maori
• Participation; involving Maori at all levels of the sector in planning, development and delivery of health and disability services that are put in place to improve the health status of Maori
• Protection; ensuring Maori wellbeing is protected and improved as well as safeguarding Maori cultural concepts values and practices
Health and Safety • Maintains a safe and healthy environment
• Complies with health & safety policies and procedures • Carries out work in a way that does not adversely affect
their health and safety or that of other workers • Complies with procedures and correctly use personal
protective equipment and safety devices provided • Contributes to hazard identification and management
process
• Reports accurately near misses/incidents/accidents in a timely manner
• Participates in health and safety matters
Personal Development • Fully contributes to the individuals team performance and is committed to identify and pursue opportunities for developing new knowledge and skills.
• Participates in the performance appraisal process where personal performance and development is reviewed. • Willing to accept new responsibilities, acquire and
demonstrate relevant new knowledge.
6. VARIATION TO DUTIES
Duties and responsibilities described above should not be construed as a complete and exhaustive list as it is not the intention to limit in any way the scope or functions of the position. Duties and responsibilities can be amended from time to time either by additional, deletion or straight amendment to meet any changing conditions, however this will only be done in consultation with the employee.
7. CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS
Capabilities are the behaviours demonstrated by a person performing the job. Capabilities identify what makes a person most effective in a role. Those listed below are expected for the Pharmacy team roles in the organisation. The required capabilities can change as the organisation develops and the roles change.
Capability
Effective Communication
Shares well thought out, concise and timely information with others using appropriate mediums. Ensures information gets to the appropriate people within the organisation to facilitate effective decision making
Decision Making/Problem Solving
Demonstrates effective and timely decision making/problem solving techniques. Aware of the impact of decisions on key stakeholders and consults as appropriate utilizing available resources. Is proactive and effective when problem solving is required.
Innovation/Initiative
Continually strives for new and improved work processes that will result in greater effectiveness and efficiencies. Questions traditional ways of doing things when choosing a course of action or finds new combinations of old elements to form an innovatve solution.
Resilience/Flexibility
Articulates differing perspectives on a problem and will see the merit of alternative points of view. Will change or modify own opinons and will switch to other strategies when necessary. Adjusts behaviour to the demands of the work environment in order to remain productive through periods of transition, ambiguity, uncertainty and stress.
Cultural Safety
Demonstrates a commitment to cultural safety by meeting and exceeding the cultural needs of clients/customers/colleagues. Manages cultural ambiguity and conflicting priorities well. . Understands concepts of whanaungatanga and manaakitanga and Maori cultural orientation to whanau, hapu and iwi.
Teamwork
Works to build team spirit, facilitates resolution of conflict within the team, promotes/protects team reputation, shows commitment to contributing to the teams success
8. EDUCATION
At least NCEA level 2 Maths and English (or equivalent) and be actively working towards attaining the National Certificate in Pharmacy (Technician).
9. SKILLS
Ability to manage multiple priorities, be flexible and have excellent time management. Seeks advice/guidance when unsure.
Ability to self-reflect on practise.
Good listening, communication, negotiation and presentation skills.
Demonstrate relationship building skills – ability to build strong links with all levels and disciplines of the multidisciplinary team.
Systems thinking – ability to identify system/process improvements.
Analytical ability –ability to interpret and evaluate diverse and complex medication safety data. Problem solving skills and thinking under pressure.
Demonstrates a commitment to quality and accuracy and the principles of continuous quality improvement.
A high degree of IT literacy – clinical information systems; competent with Microsoft office suite, Excel and Powerpoint.
10. EXPERIENCE
