Job Summary
The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist based in the Emergency Department is an integral member of the ED care team, providing real-time clinical pharmacy services to optimize medication therapy, enhance patient safety, and support rapid decision-making in a high acuity environment. This role involves direct patient care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and active participation in emergency responses.
This position supports, and is responsible for incorporating into job performance, the Frederick Health (FH) mission, vision, core values and customer service philosophy and adheres to the FH Compliance Program, including following all regulatory requirements and the FH Standards of Behavior.
Essential Functions:
Clinical Care
Provide bedside pharmacotherapy expertise for ED patients across all acuity levels, including trauma, cardiac, and neurologic emergencies
Perform prospective medication order review and intervene to prevent medication errors, adverse drug events, and therapeutic delays.
Conduct medication reconciliation for high-risk or complex patients on arrival.
Optimize medication therapy through dose adjustments renal/hepatic dosing, antimicrobial stewardship, and evidence-based recommendations
Participate rounds, huddles, case discussions with physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Emergency Response
Respond to all ED code blues, stroke alerts, sepsis alerts, and other rapid response events.
Prepare and deliver emergency medications, ensuring accuracy and timeliness during critical interventions.
Support procedural sedation, rapid sequence intubation, and toxicology emergencies with medication selection and dosing guidance.
Operational Responsibilities
Oversee ED medication distribution, including automated dispensing cabinet optimizations, inventory management, and controlled substance oversight.
Ensure compliance with policies, regulations, and accreditation standards.
Assist with medication shortage by recommending safe, clinically appropriate alternatives
Oversee the medication reconciliation process in the ED
Participate in ED quality improvement initiatives and metric reporting.
Duties may vary depending on location:
@ J M Stockman - Oncology pharmacists will be additionally responsible for managing supportive care plans, developing an updating chemotherapy protocols, order sets, support clinical trials, and lead oncolytic management programs.
@ Frederick Health Village - Pharmacogenomics pharmacists will be additionally responsible for interpret pharmacogenomics test results, evaluate gene-drug and gene-gene interactions, provide consultative support, collaborate with laboratory teams, monitor patient outcomes, and discuss testing and results to patients.
Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Minimum Education, Training, and Experience Required:
Patient Contact:
Must demonstrate and maintain current knowledge and skills in providing appropriate care/contact for patients in the following age groups:
_X__ Neonate (0 thru 30 days)
_X__ Infant (31 thru 12 months)
_X__ Child (13 months thru 12 years)
_X__ Adolescent (13 years thru 17 years)
_X__ Adult (18 years thru 65 years)
_X__ Geriatric (66+ years)
Physical Requirements:
Light Work - Lifting up to 20 pounds on an infrequent basis (less than one lift every three minutes and/or carrying up to 10 pounds, or requiring walking or standing to a significant degree (about six [6] hours a day).
Ergonomic Risk Factors:
Repetition: Repeating the same motion over and over again places stress on the muscles and tendons. The severity of risk depends on how often the action is repeated, the speed of the movement, the required force and muscles involved.
Working Conditions:
Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Risk: Category B - MAY have exposure to blood or body fluids.
Reporting Relationship:
Reports to Clinical Manager