Geriatric Pharmacist
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Job Description
Geriatric pharmacists handle dispensing medicines to older patients and counseling these people on their use.
Due to chronic health problems, older people often take multiple medicines simultaneously, for arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's, pain, and other ailments caused by age, raising the hazard of drug interaction.
Geriatric pharmacists need to exercise professionalism and detailed knowledge to avoid these interactions, since medication errors cause up to 100,000 unnecessary deaths every year in the U.S..
Responsibilities
Geriatric pharmacists fill prescriptions by physicians, labeling and dispensing medicines. Also called consultant pharmacists, these specialists provide their older patients with detailed information on when to take medicines, blood sugar and blood pressure testing, recommendations for generic medicines, and information on possible side effects, among other tasks.
A geriatric pharmacist also changes dosages or suggests alternate medicines when side effects occur.
They answer the questions older patients have about their medicines, and examine the full range of prescribed and over-the-counter medications these people are taking to avoid adverse reactions – one of their most important jobs.
They also investigate claims of side effects and advise patients to keep taking their medicine if the problem is unlikely to come from the drug (such as sleepiness or insomnia).
Skills
Communication |
Must effectively communicate with your co-workers to ensure the best care and the proper procedures. Must be able to communicate in high-stress environments. |
Active Listening |
Offering your full attention to an individual person or group in order to fully understand problems and their nature. |
Critical Thinking |
Must use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
Judgment and Decision Making |
Needs to be able to act autonomously and make difficult decisions that would benefit the patient or make corrections. Must consider all benefits and repercussions of potential actions and choose the appropriate one. |
Complex Problem Solving |
Must be able to identify complex problems and develop and evaluate corrective options and implement solutions. |
Stress Management |
Must be able to endure intense situations and handle pressure that comes with extreme situations you may encounter. |
Trustworthiness |
Must be trustworthy because you have people's lives in your hands and what you do could help or hurt them. They are entrusted with a great responsibility and must live up to it. |
Perceptiveness |
Gauging how people react and read their body language to decipher their feelings and predict their actions. They must be able to determine if people could be a risk to themselves or others and to distinguish truths from lies. |
Working Conditions
Geriatric pharmacists work in various health care facilities, ranging from hospitals to assisted living centers and long-term care locations.
Some even work at housing communities with a high percentage of elderly residents. Depending on where they work, these pharmacists typically have a regular work schedule, but may be called on sometimes to work on weekends, holidays, or after hours like other medical personnel.
Other geriatric pharmacists find employment in a pharmacy setting, either inside a larger medical facility or in a separate retail pharmacy location.
Consulting with patients, reading medical charts, and discussing cases with doctors remain among their duties regardless of the exact location they work at.
Salary Outlook

Estimated Annual Salary | Average Hourly Wage | Positions Nationwide |
---|---|---|
$118,470.00 | $56.96 | 290,780 |
Title | Company | Location | Posted |
---|---|---|---|
Staff Pharmacist(Pharmacy) 772 | Duncan Regional Hospital | Duncan, OK | 12.05.2019 |
The Staff Pharmacist under the direction of the Pharmacy Director, dispenses medication; exercising professional judgment in response to a physician's prescription according to government regulations to ensure the appropriate drug therapy for... | |||
Staff Pharmacist(Pharmacy) 773 | Duncan Regional Hospital | Duncan, OK | 12.05.2019 |
The Staff Pharmacist under the direction of the Pharmacy Director, dispenses medication; exercising professional judgment in response to a physician's prescription according to government regulations to ensure the appropriate drug therapy for... | |||
Pharmacist - Clinical | Regions Hospital | St Paul, MN | 12.06.2019 |
Job Description: A wonderful career opportunity for Clinical Pharmacist is now available with a reputable nonprofit hospital. Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center serving adults and children in Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more... | |||
Pharmacist | Med Center Health | Albany, KY | 12.06.2019 |
The staff pharmacist, under the direction of the Pharmacy Manager and Corporate Director of Pharmacy, is responsible for providing clinical support and distribution services in coordination with the medical staff, nursing, and ancillary services.... | |||
Pharmacist | WhidbeyHealth | Coupeville, WA | 09.24.2019 |
Clinical Staff Pharmacist to work in a small, progressive hospital pharmacy. Pharmacist to supervise technicians in unit dose, sterile preparation and all aspects of hospital pharmacy. Participate in aminoglycoside dosing program, renal... | |||
Pharmacist | Life Care Medical Center | Roseau, MN | 10.08.2019 |
1. To follow established procedures for dispensing of medications. Pharmacist must be able to provide pharmaceutical care to all age groups including neonate/newborn (birth-30 days), pediatrics (1 m-12y), adolescence (13-17y), adults (18-65y),... | |||
Pharmacist | Valley Health System | Winchester, VA | 12.06.2019 |
Pharmacist screens and processes orders, completing interventions and consults accurately and in a timely manner to optimize medication therapy. | |||
PHARMACIST | SEARHC | Sitka, AK | 12.06.2019 |
This position functions within the pharmacy department and its primary purpose is to assure efficacious, safe, and cost-effective drug therapy and appropriate outcomes in the use of drugs and medicines. To prepare and distribute medications... | |||
PHARMACIST | St. Bernards Healthcare | Jonesboro, AR | 12.06.2019 |
Graduation from an accredited school of pharmacy with at least a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BSPH) degree required. Must be licensed to practice pharmacy in the state of Arkansas, such licensure granted by the State Board of Pharmacy after... | |||
Geriatric Nursing Assistant | McCready Health | Crisfield, MD | 11.15.2019 |
Geriatric Nursing Assistant Posted: November 15, 2019 Category: Nursing A Geriatric Nursing Assistant performs patient care activities and related duties under the direction and supervision of a licensed nurse. Assignments are specific in... | |||
Pharmacist | Skagit Regional Health | Mount Vernon, WA | 12.04.2019 |
Responsible for the provision of prospective and concurrent evaluation of pharmacotherapy with an emphasis on the patient and with the end point focused on outcomes such as treatment efficiency, morbidity, mortality and drug cost. Acts as a... | |||
Pharmacist - Clinical Per Diem | Regions Hospital | St Paul, MN | 12.06.2019 |
Job Description: A wonderful career opportunity for a Per Diem Clinical Pharmacist is now available with a reputable nonprofit hospital. Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center serving adults and children in Minnesota and western Wisconsin... | |||
Pharmacist | Catawba Valley Medical Center | Hickory, NC | 12.06.2019 |
Dispenses medications, intravenous fluids, and other pharmaceuticals. Reviews patient medication profiles for appropriate therapy and potential problems. Enters new medication orders and contacts prescribing physician for clarification as needed.... | |||
Pharmacist (PRN) | National Park Medical Center | Hot Springs, AR | 12.05.2019 |
National Park Medical Center is a 166-bed full-service acute care hospital in beautiful Hot Springs, Arkansas. A Joint Commission accredited facility; we provide service to the five-county area surrounding Hot Springs. As a member hospital... | |||
CLINICAL PHARMACIST | TriHealth | Cincinnati, OH | 10.29.2019 |
Attention current TriHealth employees: Please apply for this position by submitting an online internal application via SuccessFactors. Please be certain to update your SuccessFactors Employee Profile prior to applying to this position.... |
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Staff Pharmacist(Pharmacy) 772
Duncan, OK
Duncan Regional Hospital
The Staff Pharmacist under the direction of the Pharmacy Director, dispenses medication; exercising professional judgment in response to a physician's prescription according to government regulations to ensure the appropriate drug therapy for...
-
Staff Pharmacist(Pharmacy) 773
Duncan, OK
Duncan Regional Hospital
The Staff Pharmacist under the direction of the Pharmacy Director, dispenses medication; exercising professional judgment in response to a physician's prescription according to government regulations to ensure the appropriate drug therapy for...
-
Pharmacist - Clinical
St. Paul, MN
Regions Hospital
Job Description: A wonderful career opportunity for Clinical Pharmacist is now available with a reputable nonprofit hospital. Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center serving adults and children in Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more...
-
Pharmacist
Bowling Green, KY
Med Center Health
The staff pharmacist, under the direction of the Pharmacy Manager and Corporate Director of Pharmacy, is responsible for providing clinical support and distribution services in coordination with the medical staff, nursing, and ancillary services....
-
Pharmacist
Coupeville, WA
WhidbeyHealth
Clinical Staff Pharmacist to work in a small, progressive hospital pharmacy. Pharmacist to supervise technicians in unit dose, sterile preparation and all aspects of hospital pharmacy. Participate in aminoglycoside dosing program, renal...
-
Pharmacist
Roseau, MN
Life Care Medical Center
1. To follow established procedures for dispensing of medications. Pharmacist must be able to provide pharmaceutical care to all age groups including neonate/newborn (birth-30 days), pediatrics (1 m-12y), adolescence (13-17y), adults (18-65y),...
-
Pharmacist
Winchester , VA
Valley Health System
Pharmacist screens and processes orders, completing interventions and consults accurately and in a timely manner to optimize medication therapy.
-
PHARMACIST
Juneau, AK
SEARHC
This position functions within the pharmacy department and its primary purpose is to assure efficacious, safe, and cost-effective drug therapy and appropriate outcomes in the use of drugs and medicines. To prepare and distribute medications...
-
PHARMACIST
Jonesboro, AR
St. Bernards Healthcare
Graduation from an accredited school of pharmacy with at least a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BSPH) degree required. Must be licensed to practice pharmacy in the state of Arkansas, such licensure granted by the State Board of Pharmacy after...
-
Geriatric Nursing Assistant
Crisfield, MD
McCready Health
Geriatric Nursing Assistant Posted: November 15, 2019 Category: Nursing A Geriatric Nursing Assistant performs patient care activities and related duties under the direction and supervision of a licensed nurse. Assignments are specific in...
-
Pharmacist
Mount Vernon, WA
Skagit Regional Health
Responsible for the provision of prospective and concurrent evaluation of pharmacotherapy with an emphasis on the patient and with the end point focused on outcomes such as treatment efficiency, morbidity, mortality and drug cost. Acts as a...
-
Pharmacist - Clinical Per Diem
St. Paul, MN
Regions Hospital
Job Description: A wonderful career opportunity for a Per Diem Clinical Pharmacist is now available with a reputable nonprofit hospital. Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center serving adults and children in Minnesota and western Wisconsin...
-
Pharmacist
Hickory, NC
Catawba Valley Medical Center
Dispenses medications, intravenous fluids, and other pharmaceuticals. Reviews patient medication profiles for appropriate therapy and potential problems. Enters new medication orders and contacts prescribing physician for clarification as needed....
-
Pharmacist (PRN)
Hot Springs, AR
National Park Medical Center
National Park Medical Center is a 166-bed full-service acute care hospital in beautiful Hot Springs, Arkansas. A Joint Commission accredited facility; we provide service to the five-county area surrounding Hot Springs. As a member hospital...
-
CLINICAL PHARMACIST
Cincinnati, OH
TriHealth
Attention current TriHealth employees: Please apply for this position by submitting an online internal application via SuccessFactors. Please be certain to update your SuccessFactors Employee Profile prior to applying to this position....