State of Maryland

A Clinical Pharmacist is the advanced level of work in providing clinical services that contribute directly to patient care of a select population and developing and promoting the rationale and appropriate use of medicinal products and devices. Employees in this classification may give advice and guidance to Pharmacists and non-licensed and licensed medical staff regarding drug interactions and pharmacy procedures to be followed.

Employees in this classification may supervise lower-level Registered Pharmacists and other professional and non-professional staff. Employees receive general supervision from a higher-level medical or designated administrator. Employees may be assigned to day, evening, night or rotating shifts which may include holidays and weekends. Employees are subject to call-in and overtime based on staffing needs. The work may require long periods of standing, walking, bending and reaching.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Clinical Pharmacist is differentiated from a Pharmacist III in that the Clinical Pharmacist is an advanced level providing clinical services and developing and promoting the pharmacy formulary and appropriate use of medicinal products and devices while the Pharmacist III is responsible for supervising a pharmacy and lower-level Registered Pharmacists.

Oversees and provides clinical services that contribute directly to patient care of a select population and develops and promotes the pharmacy formulary and appropriate use of medicinal products and devices;

Advises physicians and other health professionals concerning drug interactions and patient’s specific reaction information;

Provides training to staff regarding pharmacy procedures and drug protocol;

Participates in admission interviews to determine patient’s drug use history;

Continually reviews patients’ drug use profile;

Monitors patients’ clinical status in order to define and assess therapeutic problems using clinical data, patient histories and physical assessment skills;

Identifies and monitors toxic and surrogate end points of drug use to prevent and record toxic drug interactions;

Participates in exit interviews in order to advise patients concerning proper drug storage, use and refill information;

May dispense needed pharmaceuticals;

May supervise lower-level Registered Pharmacists and other professional and non-professional staff;

Performs other related duties.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.