Position overview

The Pharmacy sits within the Division of Medical Services (EDMS) which includes the Physician Training Office, Medical Officer Support, Credentialing, Employment and Training Unit (MOSCETU), GP Liaison Unit (GPLU), Pathology, Pharmacy, Medical Imaging and Library Services. The Canberra Health Services (CHS) Pharmacy Department have a dynamic, talented team of approximately 100 staff, including: pharmacists, technicians, couriers, and administration staff. The department provides a range of clinical services to inpatients and outpatients including several specialised services.

This position will work within the Intensive Care Unit at Canberra Hospital to provide clinical input and promote safe and quality use of medicines. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a 36-bed referral unit that services Canberra and the Greater Southern NSW region treating over 2500 patients per annum. The unit has accreditation under the College of Intensive Care Medicine and is a centre of excellence for critical care in Australia.

Key Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Under limited direction of the Lead Pharmacist and the Deputy Director of Pharmacy (Clinical) you will work within a highly engaged multidisciplinary team to deliver safe, efficacious, and patient centred service. The responsibility of this position is to work with the CHS Intensive Care Team and the Department of Pharmacy to provide both clinical expertise and evidence-based guidance. All positions will include a component of operational commitment as part of their work plan.

1. Provide advanced level of clinical pharmacy service to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), including participation in regular multidisciplinary ward rounds and offering clinical advice on intensive care medicines management.
2. Undertake clinical and operational pharmacist duties, within the approved scope of clinical practice ensuring the delivery of high-quality person and family-centred care that is safe and evidence based.
3. Counsel patients about their medications, in order to permit patients to achieve better understanding, acceptance of and concordance with their medication regimens; to optimise patients' therapeutic outcomes.
4. Provide support and proactively contribute to intensive care related working groups and committees as required, while acting as a liaison between the pharmacy department and the ICU.
5. Participate in activities to assist CHS to meet relevant National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards and Clinical Care Standards. This includes developing and contributing to practice-based research, medication safety initiatives, accreditation activities, publications, policy and procedure review, strategic planning, service review and quality improvement projects as required.
6. Use principles of continuous quality improvement to improve medicine use across CHS, assisting with collection, analysis and reporting of data relating to the use of medicines in the ICU.
7. Contribute to education and training within CHS, participating in the design, delivery, and evaluation of educational initiatives. This includes providing supervision and direction to junior and resident pharmacists, intern pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and students. You will also contribute to education programs within the multidisciplinary team that supports safe and evidence-based use of medicines.
8. Contribute to the dispensing of medicines for inpatients, outpatients and for patients being discharged from the hospital services and provide clinical pharmacy services such as individual patient medication reviews and interventions.
9. Provide a range of pharmacy services on weekends, public holidays and after hours as rostered, including participating in an On-Call roster.
10. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

For a level 2 pharmacist position increment - able to demonstrate competency against the National Standards for Advanced Pharmacy Practice at the Transition Level.

For a level 3 pharmacist position increment - able to demonstrate competency against the National Standards for Advanced Pharmacy Practice at the Consolidation Level, which may include a post graduate qualification at diploma level or above.

The competencies defined within the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia¹ includes the following 5 Domains:

• Domain 1: Professionalism and ethics

To comply with legislative standards, including a legal responsibility to work within their competence, and commit to life-long learning and professional development to maintain and build competence. And to uphold ethical standards, demonstrate the professional behaviours reasonably expected of a registered health professional and strive to improve quality and safety within the health system.

• Domain 2: Communication and collaboration

To communicate and work effectively with professional colleagues, patients (which includes carers, guardians, and families), other clients as well as members of the general public.

• Domain 3: Medicines management and patient care

Apply their expertise to promote wellness or work in direct consultation with patients or in collaboration with other health professionals to improve health. Including participation in public health and health promotion activities, the assessment of patients to develop a patient-centered medication management plan and the provision of medicines (prescription and non-prescription) and compounded products.

• Domain 4: Leadership and management

Demonstrate self-leadership as well as their leadership role in sharing a vision for the future and promoting the use of initiative and innovation to respond to change and drive progress. This includes applying management skills to undertake organisational and business planning, including the management of finances, human and other resources, the professional environment, and the service delivery arrangements.

• Domain 5: Education and research

To contribute to the education of professional colleagues. Including the ability to analyse and synthesise information from medical and pharmaceutical literature, identify and respond to gaps in the evidence-base by conducting research, share research findings and apply evidence in practice.

Reference: 1.  National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia. Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. 2016.

Qualifications

Essential

• Be registered or eligible for registration as a Pharmacist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Desirable

• A postgraduate qualification at diploma level or above in a field relevant to the role. e.g. Graduate Diploma, Master of Clinical Pharmacy
• AdPha accredited Foundation Residency or Registrar Training Residency Program (critical care) completion
• Formalised certification in Critical Care Pharmacy such as that offered by the US Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working professionally as a registered pharmacist in an Australian hospital environment (or in a country where reciprocal arrangements apply with the Australian Pharmaceutical Council Competency Stream Skills Assessment method).
• The successful applicant will be appointed to the relevant level 2 or 3 pharmacist position increment based on their qualifications, experience and demonstrable competence against the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia Advanced Level Practice standards (Stage 1 – Transition for a level 2 position; Stage 2 – Consolidation for a level 3 position):
  • For a level 2 pharmacist position increment – minimum of 3 years’ full time equivalent experience as a registered pharmacist in a hospital setting (as previously defined) or completion of a 2-year full time equivalent AdPha accredited foundation resident training program. Experience must include 6 months in the intensive care setting.
  • For a level 3 pharmacist position increment – minimum of 4 years’ full time equivalent experience as a registered pharmacist in a hospital setting (as previously defined) including 2 years in the intensive care setting.

Desirable

• 2 or more years’ full time equivalent experience as an ICU pharmacist
• Developed or emerging leadership skills and motivation with the ability to participate in the department's quality improvement projects, educational programs, and research activities.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.

Prior to commencement

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• Pre-employment National Police Check.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Comply with CHS credentialing and scope of clinical practice requirements for allied health professionals.

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct.
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.
• Comply with all relevant clinical and/or competency standards.
• Be available for weekend and/or after-hours work, including on call and working across hospital sites as necessary.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience and must be addressed in your application:

1. Proven higher level of knowledge, expertise, and skills, in line with the Advanced Pharmacy Practice competencies in the intensive care setting such as providing advice on medication choice, dose optimisation, Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, and other issues relating to pharmacotherapy.
2. High level interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to consult, negotiate and liaise effectively with patients and with colleagues in the multidisciplinary setting. This includes building and maintaining effective working relationships.
3. Demonstrated ability to provide professional supervision to junior pharmacists, graduates, students and support staff, a commitment to continuing professional development and contribute to education and training activities.
4. Leadership and management that demonstrates competence at the relevant level defined within the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework.
5. Demonstrated experience of significant contribution to the development, implementation or maintenance of improvement programs, policy and procedures and medication safety initiatives. This may include participation in research initiatives and accreditation activities.
6. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) and the positive patient experience. Displays behaviour consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful and kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.