Clinical Psychiatric Pharmacist

Clinical functions

• Establishes, implements, and maintains impactful, daily team-based rounding.
• Participates in the Department's clinical initiatives and programs, including therapeutic drug monitoring, antimicrobial stewardship, anticoagulation stewardship, and medication reconciliation.
• Works with pharmacy administration and hospital leadership to conceptualize, develop, and initiate valuable, sustainable clinical pharmacy services.
• Supports and continuously assesses clinical initiatives.
• Serves as pharmacist lead of a clinical or supportive pharmacy program and its associated quality improvement program.
• Interfaces with the healthcare team to ensure optimal medication therapy.
• Utilizes patient specific information when interpreting, reviewing, and approving medication orders to assess safety and efficacy, including, but not limited to:
  • Age
  • Sex
  • Diagnoses
  • Allergies
  • Sensitivities
  • Current medications
  • Height and weight (when necessary)
  • Pregnancy and lactation information (when necessary)
  • Laboratory results (when necessary)
• Ensures appropriateness of drug dose, frequency, and duration for each medication ordered prior to approving. Clarifies any ambiguities with prescriber.
• Documents patient care, clinical work, and medication interventions within the medical record.
• Reviews clinical impact of medication errors and assists with root cause analysis.
• Serves as a hospital resource for drug information and utilizes appropriate reference materials when necessary.
• Responds to drug information requests with accurate information in a timely manner.
• Assists in reviewing and revising the drug formulary, along with guidelines for drug use.
• Participates in educating nurses, patients, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy interns, and other pharmacists as needed.
• Participates as needed in hospital committees, such as Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, Continuous Quality Improvement Committee, Infection Control Committee, Fall Prevention Committee, etc.
• Collects and assesses medication usage data.
• Monitors the tracking of clozapine patients and reporting of blood work levels to the Clozapine Registry according to Pharmacy Department Policy.
• Adheres to McLean Hospital formulary whenever possible and provides recommendations for therapeutic interchange as necessary.
• Collaborates with other healthcare disciplines to develop optimal treatment plans for patients.
• Serves as a respectable pharmacy liaison to other departments.
• Facilitates learning for pharmacy interns.
• Provides educational lectures or written reports as required.
• Maintains clinical and professional competency.
• Other tasks as assigned by Director of Pharmacy.
• Alerts Pharmacy Department administration of any clinical issues as they arise.

Operational functions

• Utilizes computerized order entry system and patient medical record to timely and accurately receive, interpret, review, and process medication orders for inpatients.
• Accurately prepares, labels, and dispenses medications based on medication orders according to Pharmacy Department Policies and Procedures and applicable laws.
• Supervises technicians in preparation of medications and verifies accuracy of all prepared orders including hospital prepared unit dosed medications.
• Prioritizes work to prepare dispenses in order of importance.
• Fills and/or verifies requisitions from inpatient units in a timely, accurate manner.
• Fills and/or verifies code carts and emergency kits in a timely, accurate manner.
• Verifies accuracy of technician prepared packaging.
• Ensures dispensed, circulating, and stocked medication is in-date and intact.
• Utilizes automated dispensing cabinets and technician runs to distribute medication.
• Reviews physicians' medication orders with regard to patient specific factors as indicated by department policies, good pharmacy practice, and Joint Commission standards.
• Provides medication recommendations to providers as needed.
• Reports errors, near misses, and pharmacist interventions according to Pharmacy Department Policies and Procedures.
• Suggests process improvement to Pharmacy Department administration when necessary.
• Fills and dispenses investigational product for research studies when necessary.
• Fulfils need for after-hours dispensing when optionally on-call.
• Maintains records as required by law to document medication transactions within the Pharmacy and throughout the hospital.
• Ensures completeness of daily logs, including refrigerator temperature.
• Holds hand-off discussion with on-coming shift as necessary.
• Practices pharmacy in accordance with federal and state law.
• Alerts Pharmacy Department administration of any problems with system software or hardware or medication distribution as they arise.
• Other tasks as assigned by Director of Pharmacy.

Inventory functions

• Assists technicians in maintaining optimal drug inventory by ensuring medication availability while maximizing inventory turns.
• Loans and borrows medications per Pharmacy Department policy as necessary.
• Assesses characteristics of new items added to the inventory including designation as hazardous, high-risk, regulated waste, easily confused, etc.
• Maintains security of controlled substances.
• Ensures barcodes are functional for all products.
• Performs weekly controlled drug inventory on a rotational basis.
• Performs monthly unit inspections as assigned.
• Alerts Pharmacy Department administration of any inventory issues as they arise.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Safety functions

• Safely uses departmental equipment.
• Disposes of waste appropriately in accordance with Pharmacy Department Policies and Procedures.
• Able to locate and follow SDS and hospital/departmental policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates knowledge of fire safety verbally.
• Notifies supervisor of any hazards immediately.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Quality Improvement

• Continuously assesses and improves the performance of care and services provided.
• Uses systematic methods to improve services, plan changes, and evaluate outcomes.
• Demonstrates effective problem solving techniques and promotes the same in others.
• Maintains awareness and actively supports the mission, goals, and objective of the hospital and department through CQI activities.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Staff Responsibilities

• Supervises (and is responsible for) pharmacy technicians in the performance of their functions.
• Attends and actively participates in team conferences and staff meetings/in-services.
• Complies with annual training requirements.
• Participates actively in committee meetings, as applicable.
• Participates actively in orientation and on-the-job training of assigned personnel.
• Arrives and leaves at schedule times; adheres to break and lunch time; willing to work overtime when necessary.
• Presents for work as scheduled; is rarely absent and never without legitimate excuse. Notifies supervisor well in advance of any absences or vacation time.
• Maintains a clean and professional appearance in both dress and grooming.
• Follows instructions/policy carefully and discusses deviations from procedure with supervisor before acting.
• Demonstrates organizational, time management and efficiency skills by prioritizing orders and activities.
• Requires no overtime for normal shifts.
• Demonstrates initiative and accepts increased responsibility.
• Maintains the pharmacy in a clean and neat manner as determined by the Pharmacy administration.
• Adapts to change in a constructive manner and demonstrates flexibility for extra activities and unexpected duties.
• Adheres to all Pharmacy Department policies and procedures, McLean Hospital safety rules, Joint Commission standards, and any other applicable regulatory agency.
• Completes special projects on time.
• Identifies own learning needs by seeking assistance as necessary.

• Willingly completes other duties as assigned or requested.
• Maintains unrestricted pharmacist licensure in the state of Massachusetts.

• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Customer Service

• Performs all tasks demonstrating service orientation to fellow employees and staff members to provide excellent customer service.
• Demonstrates, supports, and models the mission, vision, values and rules of conduct of McLean Hospital.
• Responds to concerns or requests of nurses, patients, doctors, employees, and the public.
• Maintains patient/employee confidentiality.
• Demonstrates appropriate judgment and communication skills when interacting with physicians, nursing, patients, and other hospital staff.
• Communicates written and verbal information clearly, accurately, and professionally in courteous manner and tone to all parties.
• Provides follow up as appropriate to ensure messages or instructions are understood.
• Responds to needs via telephone or pharmacy window promptly.
• Cooperates with others within and outside of department and coordinates work efforts.
• Other tasks as assigned by Pharmacy Supervisor or Director of Pharmacy.

Education
Doctor of Pharmacy Pharmacy required

Can this role accept experience in lieu of a degree?
No

Licenses and Credentials
Pharmacist [State License] - required

Residency experience required. PGY2 residency in psychiatry preferred. Board Certification in Pharmacotherapy or Psychiatry preferred.

Experience
Experience working as a pharmacist 3-5 years preferred