At Houston Methodist, the Staff Pharmacist position is responsible for providing day-to-day comprehensive, patient-oriented, pharmacy services in any or all areas of the department which includes processing orders, therapy review, and education to patients and other members of the direct patient care team. This position collaborates with other health care professionals to manage patients’ drug therapies for effectiveness and overall safety. The Staff Pharmacist position contributes to the fulfillment of the department’s mission by collaborating to provide innovative, personalized, cost-effective pharmaceutical care in a culture dedicated to quality and safety. This position is also responsible for the oversight of pharmacy technicians and students and may serve as a preceptor, ensuring the accurate and timely delivery of pharmaceuticals.
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team-focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with all members of the patient care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner.
- Guides and mentors pharmacy technicians and students to help build confidence in skills, knowledge and abilities. In the absence of Senior Staff Pharmacists or other higher level, serves as a coordinator for the shift overseeing and leading activities of technicians and other support staff.
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Processes all orders/requests accurately and efficiently, verifying appropriateness of all drugs in reference to the patient’s diagnosis, allergies, height and weight.
- Monitors workload fluctuations and work output of pharmacy technician(s), adjusting assignments as appropriate to ensure accurate and timely delivery of medications to patient care areas.
- Conducts proactive drug therapy reviews and monitoring, providing drug information, patient counseling, and management of pharmacist-based dosing protocols, collaborating with other health care staff for problem resolution for the achievement of patient-specific goals.
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Collaborates with other health care professionals to manage patient’s drug therapy for effectiveness, side effects, adverse drug reactions, toxicities, drug interactions, and incompatibilities following guidelines for formulary management and clinical intervention tools in the achievement of patient specific goals. Documents patient care activities and patient outcomes as impacted by pharmaceutical care and clinical interventions.
- Participates in department quality management activities, i.e. medication use evaluations, adverse drug reactions and medication error reporting, clinical interventions, medication center reviews, and inventory management documentation and reporting.
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Manages inventory to minimize waste and expired drugs in the work area as well as uses one’s resources effectively and efficiently.
- Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks.
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Participates in inter- and intra-departmental activities including in-services, article publication/presentation, preceptorship, and additional training. Seeks opportunities to expand learning beyond baseline competencies with a focus on continual development as a Staff Pharmacist.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.
EDUCATION
- Graduate of education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s) indicated below in the Certifications, Licenses and Registrations section
WORK EXPERIENCE
- No experience needed; some experience applicable to the specific work setting (e.g., hospital, specialty pharmacy) highly preferred
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS – REQUIRED
- PHRM – Pharmacist – State Licensure — Texas Pharmacist license or eligible for Texas Pharmacist license within 90 days AND
- PPC- Pharmacist Preceptor Cert – State Licensure — within 15 months AND
- NRP – Neonatal Resuscitation — For pharmacists regularly assigned to respond to Code Blue events within 90 days AND
- IV Certification – Intravenous certification (ACPE) — If applicable to primary work assignment within 90 days AND
- BLS – Basic Life Support (AHA) within 90 days
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
- Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
- Exhibits strong interpersonal, teamwork and leadership skills with all levels of the healthcare team and assures delivery of excellent customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians and co-workers; capable of assuming responsibility for coordinating the activities of a major pharmacy service area
- Knowledge and skills in comprehensive pharmacy services including unit-dose drug distribution, intravenous admixture preparation, nutrition support services, and target drug monitoring
- Demonstrates the knowledge of basic principles regarding rational drug therapy, including but not limited to, professional and technical competence in the selection, evaluation, utilization, and distribution of drugs and drug information and apply these to all patient groups, neonate to geriatric
- Computer skills to include proficiency in MS Office and EMR software
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE
- Uniform No
- Scrubs Yes
- Business professional Yes
- Other (department approved) No
ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No
Company Profile:
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital opened in June 2017 as the eighth hospital in the Houston Methodist system. This 267-bed, 725,000-square-foot, full-service, acute-care hospital offers many of the same services as our flagship hospital in the Texas Medical Center. Also, on the beautiful hospital campus, located at the intersection of Interstate 45 and Texas State Highway 242, are two medical office buildings, which include a Breast Care Center; Cancer Center; infusion center; heart and vascular services; neurology; orthopedics and sports medicine; rehabilitation services; wellness services; an outpatient laboratory; and several other multispecialty physician practices. In January 2022, Houston Methodist The Woodlands opened Healing Tower — a $250 million expansion project that added 106 beds, focused on medical-surgical and women’s services, and provided nine operating rooms. The project also included the expansion of the endoscopy center, emergency department and diagnostic imaging department with an enhanced neurodiagnostic and interventional center.
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal Contractor – priority referral Protected Veterans requested.