Geriatric Pharmacist

Jump to:

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

$114,097 25^th Percentile

$121,315 50^th Percentile

$129,537 75^th Percentile

$54.85 Hourly

$58.32 Hourly

$62.28 Hourly

Estimated Annual Salary	Average Hourly Wage	Positions Nationwide
$118,470.00	$56.96	290,780

Resources

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)

American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)

American Pharmacists Association (APA)

American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHSP)

Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS)

Title	Company	Location	Posted
Pharmacist	Licking Memorial Health Systems	Newark, OH	01.14.2020
Under supervision, and according to state and federal law covering the practice of pharmacy, establishes policies and procedures; compounds and dispenses medications and other pharmaceuticals supplies.Provides a pharmaceutical service and...
Pharmacist	Southwestern Medical Center	Lawton, OK	01.16.2020
PRN & Full Time Opportunity Available! The Staff Pharmacist will provide services, timely and efficiently, at appropriate levels to all patients and in all settings served by the department. The Staff Pharmacist will also perform tasks and...
Pharmacist - Clinical	Regions Hospital	St Paul, MN	01.17.2020
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 Clinical	Regions Hospital	St Paul, MN	01.17.2020
Job Description: Additional Information: 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...
Pharmacist	Med Center Health	Albany, KY	01.17.2020
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	CarePoint	Jersey City, NJ	01.17.2020
CarePoint Health is one of New Jerseys leading health care systems comprised of three long-standing and highly-regarded hospitals Christ Hospital in Jersey City, Hoboken University Medical Center and Bayonne Medical Center. CarePoint united...
Pharmacist	Milford Regional Medical Center	Milford, MA	01.17.2020
Staff pharmacists fill orders for all medications, monitor patient drug therapies, and provide drug information. Staff pharmacist supervise and direct support personnel. In the absence of the pharmacy manager, a staff pharmacist may be required...
Pharmacist	Mount Desert Island Hospital	Bar Harbor , ME	01.17.2020
Are you a dedicated Pharmacist who is ready for a change of pace? Come to work with an exceptional team of Pharmacists! We are seeking a Per Diem Pharmacist in our busy pharmacy to fill orders with accuracy, check technician prepared products...
PHARMACIST	St. Bernards Healthcare	Jonesboro, AR	01.17.2020
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...
Pharmacist	Skagit Regional Health	Mount Vernon, WA	12.27.2019
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	Med Center Health	Bowling Green, KY	01.17.2020
The staff pharmacist, under the auspices of the Director of Pharmacy, is responsible for providing clinical support and distribution services in coordination with the medical staff, nursing, and ancillary services. The primary objective is to...
Pharmacist	Catawba Valley Medical Center	Hickory, NC	01.17.2020
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 - Clinical Per Diem	Regions Hospital	St Paul, MN	01.17.2020
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 Newark, OH Licking Memorial Health Systems
Under supervision, and according to state and federal law covering the practice of pharmacy, establishes policies and procedures; compounds and dispenses medications and other pharmaceuticals supplies.Provides a pharmaceutical service and...
Pharmacist Lawton, OK Southwestern Medical Center
PRN & Full Time Opportunity Available! The Staff Pharmacist will provide services, timely and efficiently, at appropriate levels to all patients and in all settings served by the department. The Staff Pharmacist will also perform tasks and...
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 Clinical St. Paul, MN Regions Hospital
Job Description: Additional Information: 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...
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 Bayonne, NJ CarePoint
CarePoint Health is one of New Jerseys leading health care systems comprised of three long-standing and highly-regarded hospitals Christ Hospital in Jersey City, Hoboken University Medical Center and Bayonne Medical Center. CarePoint united...
Pharmacist Milford, MA Milford Regional Medical Center
Staff pharmacists fill orders for all medications, monitor patient drug therapies, and provide drug information. Staff pharmacist supervise and direct support personnel. In the absence of the pharmacy manager, a staff pharmacist may be required...
Pharmacist Bar Harbor , ME Mount Desert Island Hospital
Are you a dedicated Pharmacist who is ready for a change of pace? Come to work with an exceptional team of Pharmacists! We are seeking a Per Diem Pharmacist in our busy pharmacy to fill orders with accuracy, check technician prepared products...
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...
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 Bowling Green, KY Med Center Health
The staff pharmacist, under the auspices of the Director of Pharmacy, is responsible for providing clinical support and distribution services in coordination with the medical staff, nursing, and ancillary services. The primary objective is to...
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 - 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...