Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Vancouver General Hospital

Detailed Overview

Working within a collaborative team environment, the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist functions as an expert practitioner, consultant, educator and researcher in a designated specialty area.

Provides consultation services to internal and external health care professionals and applies advanced level of theory to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the delivery of pharmaceutical care in the designated specialty area.

Develops, plans, organizes and evaluates clinical, education and research activities within the designated specialty area, including teaching to undergraduate, graduate students and pharmacists, participation in the Medication Use Evaluation program, treatment policies and procedures, continuing education programs, medical and pharmacy literature reviews and clinical drug research initiatives in accordance with Lower Mainland Pharmacy Services' goals and objectives.

Responsibilities Provides consultation services to internal and external health care professionals and applies advanced level of theory to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the delivery of pharmaceutical care in the designated specialty area.

Provides clinical direction on complex cases, including the use of evidence based approaches to evaluating drug therapy, attends at patient care rounds, reviews medication histories, provides drug information, patient education and discharge consultations and provides recommendations in the planning and treatment assessment policies and procedures in the designated specialty area.

Ensures quality assurance programs for the designated specialty area are maintained and policies and procedures followed according to departmental guidelines;

identifies and troubleshoots inconsistencies; develops standards, ensures regular audits are conducted and takes corrective action as required.

Participates in quality improvement activities by maintaining information relevant to the designated specialty area; reviews and ensures adherence to established program policies and procedures;

recommends program modifications to the Director, Pharmacy Services and prepares reports as required. Provides academic teaching in the designated specialty area to undergraduate and post-graduate students including planning, organizing and evaluating completion of hospital based Pharmacy programs in cooperation with the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia.

Provides clinical instruction, lectures and attends designated meetings at the University related to the planning of curriculum and practicum.

Identifies and initiates clinical drug research, as appropriate, by developing hypotheses and research processes, overseeing research activities and / or coordinating the involvement of research assistants, directed studies students, residents and pharmacists in research activities.

Collects and analyses data, evaluates information and documents findings and / or writes articles for submission to scientific journals.

Conducts pharmacological education / in-service sessions in designated specialty area, as well as orientation sessions for pharmacy staff, program team members and other health care staff.

Participates in the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee either through membership and / or preparation of materials for formulary decisions and policy-making decisions by evaluating and making written recommendations regarding formulary requests, conducting relevant research, writing up a monograph or drug assessment for presentation at the P&T Committee, and providing necessary information to the all members of the health care team.

Participates in the planning, implementation and evaluation of department therapeutic cost effectiveness and cost restraint programs.

Makes recommendations to the Director, Pharmacy Services and / or the Coordinator, Medication Use Evaluation regarding new or revised policies and standards relative to the designated specialty area.

In collaboration with members of the program team develops, implements and evaluates goals, objectives and outcomes for the program team, including recommendations in the planning and treatment assessment policies and procedures for the designated specialty area.

Represents the department on multidisciplinary care committees, and at external events such as conferences, and regional planning groups relative to the designated specialty area.

Provides pharmaceutical care to patients in designated specialty area; reviews patients''' charts and through collaboration with patients and other health care professionals identifies, prevents and solves drug related problems.

Identifies viable alternatives, desired outcomes and facilitates therapy change and outcome assessment. Monitors patients' therapy and outcomes, records, maintains and assesses medication profiles;

provides education to patients by providing drug information pamphlets and giving lectures to patients' families individually and in groups to ensure they are aware of drug status.

Performs other related duties as assigned. Qualifications Education and Experience Current registration as a Pharmacist with the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia.

Certificate of completion of year 1 and year 2 of a Hospital Pharmacy Residency Program accredited by the Canadian Pharmacy Residency Board (CPRB) supplemented by two years' recent, relevant hospital pharmacy experience including one year's pharmacy experience in the designated specialty area or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Designated Specialty Areas : Anticoagulation Bone Marrow Transplant Cardiac Rehabilitation Cardiac Surgery Cardiology Critical Care - Adults Critical Care - Neonates Critical Care - Pediatrics Emergency Endocrinology Geriatrics Infectious Diseases Internal Medicine Maternal / Fetal Mental Health & Substance Use Nephrology Neurology / Neurosurgery Oncology Pain & Spinal Cord Palliative / End of Life Care Pediatrics Rehabilitation Solid Organ Transplant Surgery Skills and Abilities Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing, including the ability to make presentations.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other health practitioners, patients, family members and the public.

Ability to coach, mentor, teach, demonstrate techniques and facilitate learning within a multidisciplinary setting. Ability to establish curricula and conduct performance evaluations for clinical rotations within assigned area.

Ability to independently recommend, implement, monitor and alter pharmacotherapeutic plans based on patient specific information.

Ability to use focused physical assessment to evaluate efficacy and / or toxicity of drugs. Ability to retrieve and evaluate drug literature to support the development of clinical care pathways and medication use evaluations.

Ability to effectively plan, lead and coordinate project teams, pharmacists and students. Ability to conduct clinical research studies.

Ability to design, research, conduct and publish projects. Ability to establish workload priorities in collaboration with others.

Ability to operate related equipment. Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.