Pharmacy Technician (2409) - Citywide - H00013

Positions are located throughout the Department of Public Health including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital & Trauma Center (ZSFG), San Francisco County Jails, both in San Francisco and in San Bruno, Community Behavioral Health Services, as well as various clinics and Health Centers located throughout the City and County of San Francisco. Some positions may require employees to work directly with individuals within locked jails and psychiatric facilities, the homeless population and individuals who may have or may be carriers of infectious/communicable diseases.

Under the supervision of a pharmacist, the Pharmacy Technician supports the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients served by the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Assists registered pharmacists in performing nonprofessional duties in an institutional pharmacy; receives, inspects, stores, and fills orders for pharmaceutical supplies. Nature of work involves continuous close attention to detail and some potential exposure to hazardous substances.

The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services.

Essential Duties 

• Accurately prepares unit dose medications, compounds a variety of pharmaceuticals under the supervision of a Pharmacist, including intravenous admixtures according to proper aseptic technique and in accordance with, professional standards and departmental policies and procedures, in order to maintain required levels of supply and to provide patients with needed medications;

• Prepares or repackages drugs and pharmaceuticals under the supervision of a Pharmacist, in amounts needed to fill written orders/prescriptions in order to provide patients with needed medication and to maintain required levels of supply;

• Prepares medication labels based on written orders from physicians and other professional staff according to California State Board of Pharmacy requirements;

• Records billing information for accurate and appropriate billing of patients for medications, involving use of desktop computer keyboard for entering medication orders and billing information;

• Maintains drug and pharmaceutical stock levels by counting and checking stores of drugs and pharmaceuticals against standard, pre-set stock levels, ordering and verifying deliveries against invoices to ensure accuracy; 

• Inspects and stores delivered stock in the pharmacy patient care areas by sorting and shelving them for optimal retrieval;

• Delivers, retrieves, and exchanges medications and pharmaceutical items to and from specified areas, or for dispensing by cart to ensure that clinical and patient needs are met;

• Provides information to patients, public and other healthcare providers within the scope of Technician activities through a variety of methods, including personal contact, at the Pharmacy window, in patient care areas, and by telephone or video.  This does not include medication counseling or providing drug information; 

• Orients and trains new personnel, pharmacy students, or others on departmental policies and procedures appropriate to a Technician’s scope of work;

• Uses, maintains, and troubleshoots automated dispensing equipment or relevant pharmacy-related software and other equipment necessary for pharmacy operations;

• Accurately prepares, dispenses, and documents controlled substance orders, and maintains accurate inventory records.

• The 2409 Pharmacy Technician may perform other duties as assigned/required.