Pharmacy Technician

Overview

Cognito LLC a Planned Systems International (PSI) joint venture, is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to support the ICE Health Services Corps (IHSC) at the El Paso Processing Center in El Paso, TX.

As a civilian contractor working for Cognito, you will utilize your abilities as a Pharmacy Technician to provide the safe delivery of high-quality health care to those in ICE custody. The IHSC exists within the organizational structure of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) under the supervision of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps Officers, civil service staff and contractors comprise the healthcare professionals working together to provide quality healthcare services. IHSC serves as the medical experts for ICE for detainee health care.

• The Benefits
  :
  Our team offers competitive compensation packages, a full range of benefits, continuing education, and excellent work-life balance to ensure your success.
• Type of Work
  :
  Full Time
• Location
  :
  El Paso Processing Center - El Paso, TX

As the Pharmacy Technician, the individual is responsible for the provision of a full range of pharmacy services at the assigned facility as well as ensuring compliance with the pharmacy policies and procedures as stated in the IHSC Pharmaceutical Services Directive and Guide.

• Performs all duties related to preparation and dispensing of medication orders.
• Provides direct care to patients within discipline scope of practice and performs functions in accordance with current accepted practice, licensure, certification, credentialing and/or granted privileges.
• Provides treatment of persons throughout the life span as appropriate to discipline and facility setting.
• May be expected to respond to and/or coordinate response to medical emergencies.
• Reads individual prescriptions and determines the name of the drug, strength, and dosage of drugs to be dispensed. Correlates instructions on the prescription with pharmacy policy limitations and notes such as on the prescription.
• Sets up prescriptions by obtaining the correct drug stock, counting the correct amount of medication, and placing this medication in smaller containers. After the prescription has been filled, all contents and the label are set aside for a final check by a pharmacist.
• Consults with the Clinical Services Manager or clinical pharmacist directly to clarify a prescription problem. This indicates knowledge and experience to recognize a problem requiring physician or pharmacist contact to clarify or change a medication order.
• Required to use judgment and experience to determine when a pharmacist is to be immediately alerted to a therapeutic problem.
• When instructed to act on dispensing instructions from a prescription, they can act and prioritize the requests.
• The technician has sufficient experience with the type of requests and their critical nature to know when to proceed and when to alert a pharmacist for follow-up.
• Sets up medications needed for new orders and arranges for a pharmacist to check all preceding steps.
• Receives supplies and checks receipts against requisitions.
• Checks for shortages, breakage, deterioration, and expiration dates. Any discrepancies found are reported to the pharmacist.
• Performs computer entry of vouchers or invoices into various program applications for monitoring pharmacy expenditures and generating reports. Determines appropriate stock levels as well as the critical nature of different drugs and the consequences of being short on these supplies.
• Consults with a pharmacist to prevent inventory problems and prepares requisitions accordingly.
• Withdraws outdated drugs, determines proper disposition (destruction or credit returns) and prepares necessary paperwork to initiate proper action.
• Places supply orders through mandatory government and non-government sources, including data entry into computer applications for calculating total dollar value and generating quarterly reports; determines the kind of packaging and shipping required for such items.
• Makes necessary changes to quantities requested depending on stock levels to avoid total depletion and notifies a pharmacist of any discrepancies in the requisition.
• Packages bulk drugs (liquids, tablets, capsules, ointments, creams, etc.) into specific quantities and various size containers.
• Operates equipment such as tablet and capsule counting machines and labeling machines.
• Records all prepackage information including lot number, expiration date, manufacturer, current date, initials, and sets them aside for final check by a registered pharmacist.
• Daily, checks the medicine cabinet and all areas of the clinic where night pharmacy service is available; responsible for refilling any missing pharmacy drugs or supply items used during the night.
• Inspects and logs the temperature of all refrigerators that contain any type of pharmaceutical reports…