Nemours is seeking a Pharmacist Lead - Non-Sterile Operations (Full-Time), to join our Nemours Children's Health team in Orlando, Florida.
Work Schedule: Primarily works Monday through Friday from 8 am - 4:30 pm with a requirement to also work varying shifts depending on the needs of the department and the oversight required of the pharmacy technicians that report to this position. Also works a weekend rotation.
Located in Orlando, Fla., Nemours Children's Hospital is the newest addition to the Nemours integrated healthcare system. Our 130-bed pediatric hospital also features the area's only 24-hour Emergency Department designed just for kids as well as outpatient pediatric clinics including several specialties previously unavailable in the region. A hospital designed by families for families, Nemours Children's Hospital blends the healing power of nature with the latest in healthcare innovation to deliver world-class care to the children of Central Florida and beyond. In keeping with our goal of bringing Nemours care into the communities we serve, we also provide specialty outpatient care in several clinics located throughout the region.
This position is responsible for overseeing the pharmacy day-to-day Nonsterile Operations within the Nemours Children's Hospital (NCH) to ensure that patient pharmaceutical needs are effectively met. This pharmacist is responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and maintaining Nonsterile Products pharmacy services while assuring patient safety through providing clinical, pharmaceutical, operational, and regulatory knowledge of nonsterile products. This pharmacist will provide oversight of Nonsterile Products Operations, compounding personnel, nonsterile product production practices, Pyxis, and the CII safe area while maintaining accuracy, safety, and the reduction of waste through the implementation of Standardized Operating Procedures for Nonsterile Products processing.
Duties include managing the aspects associated with Pyxis, the CII safe, and the compounding of nonsterile pharmaceuticals by establishing and reviewing compounded nonsterile products for quality checks, leading pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in the Nonsterile Products area in daily workflow accuracy and ensuring Nonsterile Products productivity (Nonsterile products production to include, but not limited to Order verification, Cart fill process, first dose oral, oral syringes, Pyxis stock replenishment, Medication Delivery, prepacking, emergency box replacement, inventory management of nonsterile products and code cart tray restock process).
- Supervise the day-to-day Non-Sterile Products production and drug distribution system, evaluate alternatives, and follow up on issues and concerns.
- Submit Epic tickets for any issues related to the order verification of Non-Sterile Products and subsequent validation within Epic of resolution.
- Identify and resolve pharmacy Non-Sterile Products line service problems.
- Enforce policies and procedures that promote cost effective, appropriate, and safe medication use.
- Coordinate the activities of the Pharmacy Staff completing Non-Sterile Products processes to provide optimal pharmaceutical support to patients that is safe, cost effective, and appropriate.
- Coordinate and organize the Non-Sterile Products processes by establishing workload requirements and delegating assignments to maintain an appropriate staffing level and ensure that the services and responsibilities of the department are provided in a timely and quality manner.
- Coordinate production schedules based on projected staffing patterns, workload, and utilization in such a way that minimizes stock outs (<1%) and expiration date wastage.
- Responsible for and ensure strict control and accountability for Non-Sterile medications dispensed to patients or distributed to floor stock.
- Investigate and analyze incident reports focused on Non-Sterile Products, Pyxis and CII safe area.
- Monitor and ensure Non-Sterile Products practice conforms to the Pharmacy Standard Operating Procedures and Reliable Methods for the appropriate and efficient preparation and utilization of non-sterile pharmaceutical products within Nemours Children's (NCH), including:
- Monitor to ensure that medications are prepared accurately in appropriate containers, labeled in an appropriate manner and stored in the recommended environment (temperature, humidity, lighting, etc.) in a manner that minimizes cost due to wastage.
- Monitor and ensure the physical appearance, functions, safety and staff behavior performance in Non-Sterile Products processing conforms to Nemours Children's (NCH) standards.
- Develop, review, and update Standard Operating Procedures of Non-Sterile Products departmental processes to ensure that the procedures reflect changes in operational procedures and/or current standard of practice.
- Perform other related duties as assigned by authorized personnel to provide departmental flexibility to patient care needs including those for emergency situations such as:
- Acting as a Clinical Staff Pharmacist when necessary
- Providing drug information and functioning as an information resource
- In coordination and partnership with the Sterile Operations Pharmacist Lead and Pharmacy Operations Manager, ensure the scheduling of appropriate and competent technician and pharmacist staff for the efficient and effective operation of the Non-Sterile Products Production in the Department of Pharmacy.
- Coordinate orientations and educational in-service programs for the Pharmacy staff on the appropriate utilization of Non-Sterile Production Pharmacy Services, including Pyxis and the CII safe area.
- Monitor and ensure Non-Sterile Products orientation, training and education of all new clinical pharmacists, clinical specialists, technicians and students is 100 % completed for their specific staffing responsibilities. This includes Pyxis and the CII safe area.
- Monitor and evaluate work performance of assigned Pharmacy Technicians including providing and documenting formal feedback to personnel when necessary, recommending and initiating personnel action, and providing and documenting employee appraisal processes.
- Responsible for compliance with Joint Commission and other regulatory standards as they apply to assigned duties and responsibilities.
- Develop Non-Sterile Products procedures that ensure the pharmacy department meets all legal, accreditation, and certification requirements posted by the FDA, Board of Pharmacy, Board of Health, DEA, CMS, USP 795, USP 797, USP 800 and Joint Commission.
- Lead and ensure ongoing measurement and improvement of Non-Sterile Products pharmacy operations.
- Implement and administrate Non-Sterile Products processes that identifies potential system vulnerabilities, establishes medication safety best practices and facilitates medication safety improvement projects. This includes the management of current technology and implementation of new technology.
- Promote and use Lean management principles as the department's primary tool for ensuring a high reliability culture (5S, elimination of waste, JIT, standard work, quality), promote and comply with standardized procedures/work, identify "waste" in Non-Sterile Products process and recommend solutions for implementation and correct abnormal conditions.
- Act as a liaison with Nursing and Medical staff concerning Non-Sterile Product and Pyxis issues.
- Investigate and analyze incident reports focused on Non-Sterile Products, Pyxis and CII safe area.
Job Requirements
- RPh or PharmD required.
- Minimum 3 years of experience as a Hospital Pharmacist, preferably with Nonsterile Products required.
- Minimum of 2 years of supervisory experience required.
- State of Florida Pharmacy License required. (RPh or PharmD)
- AHA BLS required within 90 days of hire.
- ASHP Accredited Hospital Certification/Residency preferred.
- ASHP or Board Certification in USP 795 preferred.
- Extensive knowledge of USP 795/797/800 regulations.
- Knowledge of improvement, change management, quality & safety principles for healthcare.
- Lean Management Principles preferred.
