The Pharmacist is responsible for the daily activities of drug distribution, direct patient care/pharmaceutical care, and educational responsibilities. In addition, shifts may be assigned in the Falls Prevention Program. If scheduled in the Falls Prevention Program, the Pharmacist would be responsible for completing a comprehensive medication assessment in the community/patient’s home. The Pharmacist is also responsible for participation in specific teaching, professional practice and clinical research activities for internal and external stakeholders. Excellent patient counseling skills is a must.

Summary of Duties:

Inpatient Units:

• Coordinate the receiving, processing, dispensing and distributing of medications according to established policies and procedures.

• Participate as a member of a multidisciplinary team, attend patient care rounds and provide pharmaceutical care, including medication reconciliation upon admission and discharge, therapeutic drug monitoring, etc.

• Compound or supervise the compounding of solutions, ointments and other pharmaceuticals.

• Initiate programs to promote patient education and provide pharmaceutical information to support other clinical professionals.

• Initiate and maintain anticoagulation monitoring of patients, in conjunction with physician.

• Able to start, teach, coach and monitor patients, students and nurses.

Community:

• Assess patient appropriateness for the community program(s).

• Perform a comprehensive home/community medication assessment on all medications being taken:

  • Medication history, review of all medications being taken (prescriptions, over-the-counter, and herbal remedies)
  • Storage and organization of medications in the patient’s home;
  • Patient’s self-administration skills and methods;
  • Lifestyle and dietary issues in relation to medication use

• Identify drug related problems and risks.

• Optimize the medication regimen and adherence, by reducing the potential for adverse drug effects and minimizing the number of high risk medications.

• Complete a medication management assessment summary and care plan.

• Evaluate medication regimen for medications that may no longer be necessary, make appropriate suggestions to physicians and nurse practitioners to taper and/or discontinue medications where applicable, especially medications that may cause cognitive impairment, focus on psychoactive medications in order to recommend discontinuing or lowering the dose, and reduce the number of medications, in order to reduce poly-pharmacy as this has been shown to be a risk factor for falls.

• Familiarize with the use of non-pharmacologic alternatives and make recommendations as appropriate.

• Identify co-morbid illness, which may be contributing to medication mismanagement or to increased risk of falls.

• Monitor and follow through on medication management interventions to resolve medication related problems as articulated by the care plan recommendations.

• Counsel patients and caregivers about the appropriate use of their medications.

• Identify the necessity of involvement from other health care professionals to review the home environment, sensory losses, and social and psychological factors.

• Initiate programs to promote patient education and provide pharmaceutical information to other clinical professionals.

General:

• Act as a resource/preceptor for students and participate in the learning process.

• Other reasonable duties as assigned, such as engagement in various projects and initiatives such as but not limited to, Nursing Orientation, Meditech Maintenance, etc.

• Be aware of conditions and measures that may affect the safety of employees, patients, Sisters, students, volunteers, physicians and visitors including but not limited to: compliance with the safety standards of the Hospital and applicable legislation.

• Conduct their work in a safe manner; prevention, identification and reporting of safety issues and problems; taking corrective action, where possible; attendance at safety meetings / training / updates in accordance with the Hospital’s standards.

Please note: The above duties are representative but are not to be construed as all-inclusive.

Qualifications/Skills:

• Current Pharmacist licensure in good standing with the College of Pharmacists of Ontario required.

• Designation certification an asset, such as geriatric pharmacist, anticoagulation pharmacist, antibiotic stewardship, etc. is preferred.

• Previous hospital experience preferably in a rehabilitation health care facility and/or hospital pharmacy residency preferred.

• Valid Ontario Driver’s License and access to a reliable vehicle preferred.

• Able to work well in a fast-paced, stressful work environment

• Self-motivated and able to take initiative

• Experience working with seniors and caregivers and in chronic disease management.

• Excellent computer skills; experience with Meditech Pharmacy Software, Automated Dispensing Units, etc. an asset.

• Demonstrate interpersonal skills to interact as an effective team member.

• Demonstrate ability to work independently and foster effective team environments.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal including patient counseling skills

• Excellent presentation skills.

• Demonstrate commitment to Person Centered Care approach and principles