UnityPoint Health - Poison Center

Sioux City

Fulltime - Evening shift and every 3rd weekend 11am - 11pm.

Provides telephone triage, assessment, management and follow-up advice for the Iowa public and health care providers.  Serves as consultant to staff on inquiries involving drug information.  Promotes public and professional education in the field of toxicology. Serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students. 

Telephone Consultation and Data Collection

• Works under minimal supervision to provide clinical information and case management advice for telephone calls received by the Iowa Poison Control Center.
• Answers drug information questions if beyond RN SPI’s scope of knowledge.
• Obtains pertinent information from the caller to assess the seriousness of the situation and the caller's level of understanding/state of mind and independently determine whether the situation can be handled by the IPCC or whether the patient should be seen by a health care provider.
• Utilizes appropriate resources (Poisindex®, triage and clinical guidelines, reference books, on-call toxicologist) in the triage and management of poisoned/overdosed patients.
• Provides follow-up calls with callbacks as needed to ascertain patient status, symptom resolution, compliance with recommended therapy, and where appropriate, status after discharge.
• Delivers high quality care while demonstrating knowledge and skills of clinical toxicology in accordance with established policies, procedures and standards of care.
• Utilizes critical thinking in making independent judgments, and maintains responsibility and accountability for the knowledge required to manage the wide variety of poisonings encountered.
• Promptly completes documentation to assure an accurate legal record of patient’s care utilizing the IPCC’s computerized medical record system.
• Assures data collected is compliant with National Poison Data System (NPDS) coding requirements and allows quality assurance review of information obtained and provided.
• Provides a high-level customer service at every level.
• Conduct daily peer case review and uses results of quality improvement activities to initiate change.
• Supervise Poison Information Providers (staff with less advanced training in health care).

Public and Professional Education

• Maintains status as a Certified Specialist in Poison Information (CSPI) or Diplomate of the American Board of Applied Toxicology (DABAT).
• Participates in outreach education efforts.
• Precept pharmacy students and residents and provide leadership and coordination of the daily operations of the experiential programs.
• Provide didactic lectures on poisoning/clinical toxicology topics to internal and external audiences.
• Evaluate the academic progress of pharmacy students and residents in didactic and practice settings.
• Writes and edits articles for monthly newsletter and may participate in research activities.
• Assists in orienting, training, instructing and/or supervising new staff and students.
• Prepares information for and attends required case review sessions, in-services and staff meetings.
• Assist IPCC Medical Director with the professional development of IPCC’s staff.

Basic UPH Performance Criteria        

• Demonstrates the UnityPoint Health Values and Standards of Behaviors as well as adheres to policies and procedures and safety guidelines.
• Demonstrates ability to meet business needs of department with regular, reliable attendance.
• Employee maintains current licenses and/or certifications required for the position.
• Practices and reflects knowledge of HIPAA, TJC, DNV, OSHA and other federal/state regulatory agencies guiding healthcare.
• Completes all annual education and competency requirements within the calendar year.

Education:

• Graduate of an accredited School of Pharmacy with a PharmD degree

Experience:

• Completion of an ASHP accredited residency program (min PGY-1) or equivalent hospital experience.

License(s)/Certification(s):

• Current licensure in good standing to practice as a Pharmacist in Iowa.
• Successfully completes Certified Specialist in Poison Information (CSPI) examination within three (3) exam administrations after becoming eligible.  Certification must be renewed every seven years.
• Valid driver’s license when driving any vehicle for work-related reasons.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to multi-task.
• Demonstrate ability to quickly learn and interpret toxicology related information.
• Strong prioritizing and organizational skills.
• Critical thinking skills using independent judgment in making decisions. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
• Ability to use computers and computer systems; the Internet and several simultaneous applications.
• Writes, reads, comprehends and speaks fluent English.