Clinical Pharmacist - Emergency Medicine/Behavioral Health

The Clinical Pharmacist Behavioral Health is a licensed Pharmacist responsible for ensuring optimal drug therapy by designing therapy, monitoring, and dispensing medications following standard operating procedures (SOPs), ACLS, PALS, and USP guidelines. Serves as medication expert. Directs the work of support staff including Pharmacy Technicians. Responsible for ensuring medication management abides by hospital, state, and federal requirements.

Manages the daily pharmacy workload within the hospital Emergency Department and Behavioral Health beds/floor and is also able to cross cover as the Pharmacist across all hospital departments and the Central Pharmacy as needed, and be proficient in the medication management of that population.

Responsibilities also include but are not limited to: answering general drug questions, attendance on medical rounds, completion of nursing unit inspections, and identification of medication related issues.

May function as a Charge Pharmacist as needed.

Responsibilities

• Verifies and checks prescriptions/orders adhering to safe medication dispensing practices.
• Reviews prescription order for accuracy and completion.
• Provide medication evaluation during verification, considering patient specific factors, potential for adverse drug reactions, and Drug-Drug / Drug-Disease interactions or equivalent. -15%

• Assess and optimize drug therapy by designing medication therapies that meet the patient specific needs.
• Develop, review, assist and maintain, in collaboration with members of the hospital Emergency Department and Behavioral
• Health department (and other departments as needed) various protocols and regimens as recommended by evidenced based practice.
• Utilize the facility formulary whenever possible to ensure cost-effective care.
• Provide drug information education to patient or patient’s care giver as needed. -15%

• Mentors and assists in training; includes but is not limited to: Pharmacists, Interns, residents, within the hospital
• Emergency Department and Behavioral Health department. Teach and instruct pharmacy and other multidisciplinary staff on relevant treatment populations including preparation, treatment, and ongoing monitoring of medications involved. -15%

• Responsible for rounding with the hospital Emergency Department and Behavioral Health care team.
• Provide perpetual monitoring of assigned patients through chart investigation, discussion within the healthcare team (including but not limited to the patient, patients’ family members, other healthcare professionals), to identify potential for and/or remediation of drug therapy. -15%

• Manage the daily pharmacy workload within the hospital Emergency Department and Behavioral Health beds/floor
• Directly supervise the work of pharmacy staff throughout entirety of shift when applicable (technicians, students, residents, and/or interns) to ensure safe and accurate preparation, dispensing, and delivery of medications to meet patient care needs and both federal and state regulations.
• Knowledgeable of all standard operating procedures (SOPs) governing the work of pharmacy staff to mitigate harm to patients and staff. -15%

• Accurately document the monitoring of medication, medication management, potential adverse drug reactions, and similar outcomes through interventions in the electronic health record.
• Includes but is not limited to: EPIC, DoseEdge, Omnicell.
• Maintains documentation that is compliant with state and federal drug control laws. -10%

• Inspect medication storage and prep areas outside of the Pharmacy throughout the hospital monthly. Raise any concerns identified to Nurse leadership and Pharmacy leadership.
• Identifies medication or operational related issues that require remediation and escalates to direct manager. -5%

• May contribute to the process of adding new Behavioral Health therapies (medications, blood products, or similar therapies) and treatment modalities to formulary through involvement with the P&T committee via development of presentations, education, monographs. -5%

• May function as a Charge Pharmacist as needed. -5%

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education And/or Experience Required

• Education: BS degree in Pharmacy

Education And/or Experience Preferred

• Education: PharmD.

Experience

• Experience as a Hospital Pharmacist.
• Completion of PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency.
• Completion of PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Practice Residency.

License And/or Certification Required

• State of Connecticut Pharmacist License

License And/or Certification Preferred

• Board certification in area of specialty
• Advanced training/certification in area of specialty

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge

• Medications, their doses, indications, monitoring parameters, potential risks and contraindications considering both drug-drug and drug-disease interactions.
• Medication preparation and delivery process.
• Common disease states affecting pediatric populations and their risks and treatments.

Skills

• Critical thinking and problem solving.
• Utilizing available resources such as medication and/or disease related guidelines to answer questions and/or guide patient therapy to ensure optimal care.
• Teaching and learning.

Abilities

• Appropriately assess and manage competing priorities.
• Collaborate in an interdisciplinary environment with individuals of varying levels of education, healthcare experience, and licensure.
• Show empathy and support others within the work environment.
• Communicate clearly both orally and written.

Connecticut Children’s is the only health system in Connecticut that is 100% dedicated to children. Established on a legacy that spans more than 100 years, Connecticut Children’s offers personalized medical care in more than 30 pediatric specialties across Connecticut and in two other states.

Our transformational growth establishes us as a destination for specialized medicine and enables us to reach more children in locations that are closer to home.

Our breakthrough research, superior education and training, innovative community partnerships, and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion provide a welcoming and inspiring environment for our patients, families and team members.

At Connecticut Children’s, treating children isn’t just our job – it’s our passion. As a leading children’s health system experiencing steady growth, we’re excited to expand our team with exceptional team members who share our vision of transforming children’s health and well-being as one team.

Connecticut Children’s offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package for eligible team members, including medical, dental and vision insurance, hospital paid life and disability coverage, paid time off and leave programs, education and training assistance, a retirement savings plan with hospital match, and an employment assistance program.

Eligibility for certain benefits is based on scheduled hours worked. All team members are eligible to participate in the retirement savings plan, regardless of scheduled hours worked. Additional benefit information is available here.