Pharmacist, Clinical Applications Analyst

Company : IWK Health

Req ID: 188005 
Department/Program: Pharmacy Distribution, Pharmacy 
Location: Halifax  
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT (100% FTE)  x 1 position(s)
 Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $43.6769 - $55.1043 /hour
Closing Date: September 30, 2024 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

This position serves as an expert resource and consultant for the Pharmacy Department, Clinical Programs and Biomedical Engineering on clinical applications that support medication management. They are responsible for supporting the clinical pharmacy software applications within IWK Health such as (but not limited to): the clinical information system, smart pump software and IWK Health drug information resources. Specific areas where consultative support may be provided include but are not limited to - pharmacy informatics operations support; policy and procedure development; software customization; upgrade planning, implementation and testing; database management; training systems; and development, testing, maintenance and troubleshooting of interfaces; and various pharmacy automation technologies.

• Development and maintenance of parenteral medication smart pump drug libraries [large volume infusion, syringe, patient controlled analgesia (PCA) and continuous ambulatory delivery device (CADD)].
• In collaboration with the Pharmacy Department Drug Information Team, physicians and nurses, the development of clinical order sets to ensure safe medication administration.
• Development and maintenance of software supporting the Pharmacy Department’s medication management activities, including but not limited to: clinical information/order entry system, carousel, automated dispensing cabinets, automated dispensing narcotic safe, IV workflow system, drug dosing guidelines, parenteral manual and associated calculators.
• Development and maintenance of reports from the Pharmacy Department’s clinical applications to facilitate operational activity and workflow analysis.
• Participates or leads organization committees and working groups pertaining to the safety of IWK Health’s medication management program.
• Other duties as assigned by the Pharmacy Department leadership pertaining to clinical software applications and safe medication management.

Hours of Work

75 hours bi-weekly. 

Your Qualifications

• Successful completion of an entry-level Pharmacy degree (BScPhm or PharmD) required
• Licensed (or eligible for licensure) with the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists (Direct Patient care license) required
• Minimum two years practicing within an acute care setting preferred
• Knowledge of acute care medication administration processes and medication safety principles
• Experience leading and participating in planning and implementation of clinical application software
• Takes a continuous quality improvement approach to their work
• Must be able to analyse and provide recommendations to peers, direct supervisor and senior management
• This role must have the ability to analyse a workflow and/or clinical application system and develop recommendations for improvement to ensure quality and safety
• This role must have the ability to be creative and innovative in their approach to build workflows, systems that support healthcare providers in their provision of safe care

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Healthcare  bargaining  unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.