Pharmacist (Jail Health Services) at King County, WA

About the Department

The Jail Health Services (JHS) Pharmacist position will provide professional pharmaceutical services. The applicant is required to be a licensed pharmacist who will be responsible for all Pharmacy services within a correctional facility. They will work with other members of the pharmacy team and with all other Jail Health staff to provide clinical/pharmaceutical care.  They will primarily focus on Medications for Opiate Use Disorder (MOUD) and its expansion project, to provide the necessary clinical care, medications and resources to our jail residents.

JHS provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails – King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle, WA and Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, WA. The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services. We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.

The purpose of JHS is to assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities: the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent. The JHS vision is Opening doors to healthier, happier lives, and the mission is to assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail.  

Staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, JHS provides a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails. For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided. Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population.

JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations, many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

Work Schedule

Tuesday - Saturday 7-330pm

Work Location

The primary onsite location is King County Correctional Facility - 500 5th Ave. Seattle, WA 98104.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Position Duties

• Fill and dispense prescription and non-prescription medications for Public Health patients. 
• Monitor drug therapy prescribed to patients by evaluating patient medical history, clinically significant drug interactions, adverse reactions, therapeutic duplications, drug dosage, and compliance with prescription order. 
• Provide drug education to health care providers and patients related to medications prescribed. 
• Participate in inventory control of drugs including purchasing, receiving, and placing in stock all drug and pharmacy supplies. 
• Participate in quality improvement efforts in health facilities by providing drug use management programs and participating in facility's activities. 
• Act as preceptor for pharmacy interns and pharmacy technicians. 
• Meet with patients in person for Pharmacy consultation. 
• Provide injections/immunizations as needed 
• Work with release planning and coordinated discharge for patient continuity of care
  

Minimum Qualifications

Ideal Candidate: 

• Must possess current Washington State Board of Pharmacy Pharmacist license and be in good standing. 
• Current knowledge of disease states and other health issues utilizing pharmaceutical therapy, current therapeutic use of drugs, clinically significant drug interactions and adverse drug reactions, and strong clinical pharmacy knowledge and applicability to the health issues addressed by Public Health. 
• Current knowledge of drug names, strength, dosage forms, generic equivalents and delivery systems. 
• Skilled in working with individuals from diverse backgrounds. 
• Must be able to work well as a contributing member of a diverse multi-disciplinary staff. 
• Knowledge of inventory control procedures and practices. 
• Knowledge of Washington State laws and regulations regarding the practice of pharmacy. 
• Knowledge of delegation techniques and principles. 
• Knowledge of medication storage and shipping requirements for product stability. 
• Knowledge of legal requirements for pharmacy wholesalers relating to re-packaging and returns for credit of medications. 
• Mathematics calculation skills for determining weight and strength of solutions for compounding. 
• Must possess organization skills; communication skills (oral and written), problem-solving skills, and presentation skills.

Desired Candidate:

• Experience working with physicians, nurse practitioners and patients in person 
• Motivation and willingness to work with jail residents and work to coordinate their medications as well as their release plans 
• Participation in quality improvement efforts in health facilities and in facility activities Leadership skills

Other Qualifications

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Who May Apply

all applicants with a current Pharmacist license (R.PH) in WA state

The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NEOGOV Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Resume

(Please note: resumes (remove if not applicable), and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Necessary Special Requirements

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR (if applicable).
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment. (and Pre-employment Physical, if applicable).
• For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en. 
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
• When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department. 
• If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Additional Information 
 Public Health - Jail Health Services follows and maintains federal and state requirements standards including, but not limited to, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders. PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in, or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:

• Sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution.
• Convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or,
• Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described above.

Additionally, PREA standards require that the department consider any incidents of sexual harassment involving an inmate or detainee in determining whether or not to hire or promote anyone.
  
 The above is in compliance with PREA and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 115, Subpart A, Section 115.17, Hiring and Promotion Decisions.

Union Membership

ProTec 17

Contact

For more information about the application process please contact Alexis Owens at [email protected]

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