The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Downtown Campus Department of Pharmacy is seeking a temporary Pharmacy Technician, certified or trainee. Under general pharmacist supervision, coordinates and performs as necessary the technical activities of dispensing areas. Under general supervision of Pharmacist Manager, carries out activities supportive of development, coordination, and training of assigned areas. Provides functional supervision as required.

University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown (located at 500 E. Market Street, Iowa City, IA) is a 194-bed hospital that became part of Iowa’s only comprehensive academic health system on Jan. 31, 2024.

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Downtown Campus Department of Pharmacy intends to hire at either the Pharmacy Technician, Trainee classification, or Pharmacy Technician, Certified, based on the qualifications of the successful candidate. Please indicate in your application materials the position you wish to be considered for or indicate both.

Duties to include:

• Perform activities associated with inventory maintenance.
• Review pharmacy medication inventory for expired medications.
• Maintain medication inventory levels according to established par levels when available.
• Manage inpatient Epic In-Baskets which includes printing labels for missing medications, determining the amount of medication required to prepare the intended dose, preparing and/or package of medications; preparing the label; documentation of activities and printing the discharge patient list and removing their medication from the patient care unit.
• Deliver medications to patient care areas, return medications from patient care areas that are no longer needed.
• Ensure that medication security is maintained when working in the patient care unit medication rooms.  This includes the integrity of security (door/lock etc.), security of medications inside the medication room (controlled substances locked properly), medications inside room are stored correctly (properly dated and refrigerated is needed).
• Maintain accurate controls and security regarding controlled substances both in and out of the pharmacy area, including inventory records regarding preparation and delivery to patient care areas.
• Generate, review and maintain (includes filing) appropriate records related to medication distribution and dispensing.
• Utilize various equipment including, laminar flow hoods, computerized label printers, pharmaceutical packaging and compounding equipment and pneumatic tube system.  Utilize automated dispensing equipment.
• Maintains cleanliness of equipment and the clean room in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Completes quality assurance activities and quality control records for documentation of appropriate sterile compounding processes.
• Maintain competencies in proper sterile product preparation.
• Utilize and adhere to aseptic technique when preparing and manipulating sterile products, including proper handwashing, garbing, product handling and observance of airflow issues within the clean room facility.
• Compound sterile products including anti-neoplastic drugs in bulk supplies and single doses; utilize aseptic technique.
• Maintain proper handling and proper worker safety precautions regarding medications that are considered hazardous (antineoplastic medications) or medications that become hazardous upon waste (EPA designated waste).
• Package and compound non-sterile products in bulk supplies and single doses.
• Conducts and documents monthly inspections of patient care areas.
• Assist with on-the-job training of pharmacy students and new technicians; may provide functional supervision to student technicians.
• Perform activities involving narcotics and controlled substances including daily, weekly and monthly inventories; review documentation records for completeness and contact manager if documentation is not complete.
• Perform tasks associated with refilling automation including following proper procedures in picking correct medications to restock automation devices, following proper procedures in restocking automation devices.
• Assisting pharmacist in conducting inspection of all medications stored on patient care unit.

Certified Technician Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

1. Registered with the Pharmacy Board at the time of hire.
2. National certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Must meet ongoing education requirements and maintain certification.
3. High school diploma or the equivalent.
4. Experience
   1. Any combination of two years of post-high school experience and/or education in the natural sciences OR
   2. Satisfactory completion of an accredited pharmacy technician training program

Trainee Technician Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

1. Registered with the Pharmacy Board at the time of hire.
2. All pharmacy technicians must be certified within one year of employment.
3. High school diploma or the equivalent.
4. Experience:
   1. Any combination of two years of post-high school experience and/or education in the natural sciences OR
   2. Satisfactory completion of an accredited pharmacy technician training program.

Special Qualifications:

• Ability to calculate ratios & proportions for pharmaceutical needs as demonstrated by a work sample.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with inventory maintenance activities
• Experience working in team environment
• Experience working in detail-oriented work environment
• Knowledge of windows-based computer programs
• Experience working in environment requiring accuracy
• Experience working in healthcare with one-on-one patient interaction & experience handling challenging interactions in work environment.
• Prefer National Career Readiness Certificate at Silver Level

Position and Application details:

Resume is preferred to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the document and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 10 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 Emilio Villagrana or emilio-villagrana@uiowa.edu

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Downtown Campus Department of Pharmacy intends to hire at either the Pharmacy Technician, Trainee classification, Pay Grade 8, or Pharmacy Technician, Certified, Pay Grade 10, based on the qualifications of the successful candidate. Please indicate in your application materials the position you wish to be considered for or indicate both.