Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist

The University of Iowa Health Care, Department of Pharmaceutical Care, is seeking a full-time Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist to join our team. The Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist position provides pharmaceutical care services in clinical roles within Acute Care and operational roles within Acute Care and Ambulatory Care settings to pediatric patients within Stead Family Children’s Hospital. This role will support upholding the highest standards for a safe, effective, and efficient medication distribution system as well as clinical review and order verification of patient orders. Pharmacists at University of Iowa Health Care are involved in all aspects of patient care including, but not limited to, therapeutic drug monitoring, admission and discharge medication reconciliation, medication education, and precepting pharmacy learners including pharmacy students and PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residents. They collaborate daily with other healthcare providers including, but not limited to, licensed independent practitioners, medical students and residents, nurses, and social workers and care coordinators. Pediatric Clinical Pharmacists will be part of integrated pharmacy team encompassing ambulatory and acute care services. Clinical Pharmacists will have a primary work location (Acute or Ambulatory) but will provide coverage in both areas.

Position Responsibilities:

Provides Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM): Therapeutic drug monitoring refers to the utilization of drug serum concentrations, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics to individualize and optimize patient responses to drug therapy. It requires a complete understanding of the patient, his or her physiologic conditions, and comprehension of each disease state. The integration of physical finding, patient-specific pharmacokinetic variables, pathophysiologic changes, and serum chemistry allow for the attainment of rational therapeutic decisions and optimization of drug therapy.

• Evaluate medication orders and prescriptions to ensure the appropriateness of the following:

1. Indication for use
2. Dose/frequency
3. Route of administration
4. Drug interactions
5. Dose adjustment for organ dysfunction
6. Physical and therapeutic incompatibilities
7. Drug side effects and adverse reactions
8. Presence of duplicate therapies
9. Potential drug misuse or abuse
10. Use of the most cost-effective therapy

• Assure pharmacokinetic assessment of drug dosing on appropriate patients through:

1. Clinical assessment of patients
2. Development of desired therapeutic goals
3. Preparation and communication of formal dosing recommendations

• Communicate with prescribers about patient medication needs
• Identify and evaluate adverse drug reactions
• Provide drug information to other healthcare professionals
• Confirm/clarify patient drug allergies noted in medical record
• Complete medication histories on all patients and reconcile home medications against the admission medications
• Evaluate patient compliance with prescribed medication therapy and identify problems that may lead to partial or non-compliance
• Review and reconcile all medications upon patient transfer between clinical services
• Review daily therapeutic monitoring information for all patients served by the patient care unit (and other patient care units covered by the pharmacist’s health care team)
• Identify high risk medication therapy and review as appropriate
• Complete competency exams as required by the Department
• Utilize appropriate resources and coordinate the resolution of financial concerns/burdens with Department financial counselors

Documents Patient Care Activities Performed: The active participation by a pharmacist on the health care team requires efficient communication of activities to all those participating in the care of patients. Provision of pharmacy-related services requires the sharing of information with other members of the health care team through documentation within the patient medical record and on-line department reporting system as well as through available intradepartmental venues which provide adequate documentation of such services to departmental and hospital administration.

• Medication error information into standard reporting system
• Identify, evaluate, and take steps to avoid adverse drug reactions on all patients
• Update patient allergies and patient-specific height and weight information when needed
• Review and ensure correct medication histories are entered into the medical record
• Provide and document medication counseling to patients
• Document interventions with prescribers and other health care providers
• Document pharmacokinetic-based dosing recommendations and other pertinent patient information

Coordinates Patient Communications/Interactions: The provision of Pharmaceutical Care requires that patients and families understand the services which they receive from their pharmacist. The pharmacist takes responsibility for each patient’s pharmaceutical care from admission to discharge, ensures appropriate continuity of care and proper medication utilization.

• Take medication history. Reconcile home medications with inpatient orders
• Discuss drug allergy history
• Conduct patient teaching classes (where appropriate)
• Provide medication counseling
• Answer questions as needed
• Communicate with others to ensure appropriate continuity of care

Spearheads Patient Care Initiatives: The pharmacist must become the patient’s advocate for all efforts centering on drug therapy. The pharmacist must be able to positively influence therapeutic decisions which will affect patients and their care. Participation in hospital-wide programs intended to improve care (e.g. the Medication Use Evaluation program, protocol antibiotics and Adverse Drug Reaction Program). These programs promote the rational, safe, and cost-effective use of medications at UIHC promoting high value patient care services. The clinical pharmacist should actively support and promote the value of these programs to other healthcare professionals.

1. Coordinate medication orders written during assigned hours of duty
2. Review and verify medication orders
3. Complete Form 303 on all inpatient chemotherapy patients as required
4. Respond to order questions on the floor and assist with triage of orders when able

• Follow-up on medication system problems (e.g. late parenteral nutrition order receipt, high cost drug therapy, non-formulary drug requests, missing doses, unclear or inappropriate prescription orders)
• Monitor and respond to Heroic Drug Therapy situations
• Carry out, through interventions and education, protocol antibiotic and DUE initiatives
• Participate in multi-disciplinary initiatives (e.g. Kaizen events)
• Serve on intra- and interdepartmental committees as required
• Coordinate Discharge planning activities

1. Interact with prescriber to facilitate prescription writing prior to discharge
2. Conduct patient discharge counseling when appropriate
3. Orchestrate communications with home health care providers so that pharmacy-related services commence immediately upon discharge from UIHC when appropriate

Provides Educational Services: A crucial responsibility of the Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist is the education of fellow staff, other healthcare providers, and patients about drugs and their appropriate usage. New and future pharmacy practitioners are continually exposed to the day-to-day activities of the practicing clinical pharmacist; therefore, the clinical pharmacist must serve as a role model for these staff and students. The educational process must also transcend professional boundaries, as the Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist interacts with and serves as an information resource for other members of the health care team. Lastly, the Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist takes great care to instruct all patients about the need for an appropriate use of prescribed medications.

• Serve as preceptor for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents on clinical rotations sponsored by the UIHC Department of Pharmaceutical Care
• Present inservice educational programs to staff nurses, physicians, and other members of the health care team
• Present at and participate in other educational programs sponsored by the Department of Pharmaceutical Care, the College of Pharmacy, other UIHC departments, and state and national organizations
• Coordinate/conduct patient medication education classes (where appropriate)
• Serve as a mentor and role model for other pharmacists within the Department

Participates in Research: The Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist should participate in research activities as appropriate, including providing support for Investigational Drug Service orders and prescriptions. This research can take on many forms including developmental, evaluative, and/or clinical research. It may be intradepartmental or multidisciplinary in format. Presentation and/or publication of research findings are encouraged.

Learning and Professional Development: Seeks opportunities to enhance one’s own knowledge, skills and abilities as they relate to one’s current position and/or to prepare for potential future roles and overall career development that contribute to the mission and goals of the institution.

Responsibility and Accountability: Represents the interests of the University and of unit leadership in the use of resources to meet service and productivity demands within unit goals and budgets; strives to promote continual process and quality improvement. Supervision Received – Supervision is received from a Pharmacy Supervisor or other designated official. Supervision Exercised – Functional and administrative supervision is exercised over support staff and students.

Pay Level: PK45 https://hr.uiowa.edu/pay/pay-plans/seiu-pay-plan

Education Requirements:

• PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) degree or Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy

Experience Requirements:

• One (1) year of applicable pharmacy experience is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required
• Job related experience with and/or commitment to service excellence is required
• Professional experience working effectively with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.
• Current or potential licensure by the date of hire by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy Examiners

Desired Qualifications:

• Satisfactory completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY1 residency in hospital pharmacy practice is desirable
• Immunization certification is desirable
• One year or more of Pediatric pharmacy experience is highly desirable
• Completion of an ASHP-accredited PGY2 residency in pediatrics is highly desirable
• Board certification in Pharmacotherapy or Pediatrics is highly desirable

Position and Application details:

In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. 

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.

For additional questions, please contact Penni Berger at penelope-berger@uiowa.edu

Additional Information

• Classification Title: Clinical Pharmacist
• Appointment Type: SEIU
• Schedule: Full-time

Compensation

• Pay Level: 11

Contact Information

• Organization: Healthcare
• Contact Name: Penni Berger
• Contact Email: penelope-berger@uiowa.edu

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