Kara Irons
Suffolk,VA
Summary
Experienced with preparing and dispensing medications accurately and efficiently. Utilizes strong organizational skills to manage inventory and maintain compliance with regulations. Knowledge of working collaboratively with pharmacists and healthcare teams to ensure optimal patient care.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Pharmacy Technician
Zen Leaf
05.2024 - Current
- Checked guests' photo identification for validity and age requirements.
- Utilized strong interpersonal skills to build rapport with customers, establishing trust and credibility as a knowledgeable resource on cannabis products.
- Employed effective cash handling procedures for accurate accounting of daily sales transactions while minimizing discrepancies or losses.
- Assisted medical use customers in identifying cannabis medicines and methods of medication that best fit individual needs.
- Streamlined check-in processes for medical patients, expediting wait times while maintaining compliance with state requirements.
- Answered questions about medicinal and recreational uses and effects and qualities of different strains.
Certified Pharmacy Technician
Bon Secours Cancer Institute
06.2023 - 11.2023
- Refilled and loaded 5 Omnicell machines
- Aseptically compounded 100 IV/chemo admixtures.
- Maintain expire dates of 100k+ medications.
- Delivered patient unit dose medications to the oncology department.
- Monitored supply inventory and promptly submitted replenishment to the ordering pharmacist.
- Trained new pharmacy technicians on proper procedures and best practices, ensuring consistent quality of service.
- Answered incoming phone calls and addressed questions from customers and healthcare providers.
Certified Pharmacy Technician
Naval Health Clinic
04.2015 - 05.2021
- Meticulously manage prescription processing and ordering throughout a 50% reduction in operational capability
- Lead 27 pharmacy staff in delivering 90,000 prescriptions annually, supporting 100,000 beneficiaries in the region
- Oversaw process improvement efforts to expand the scope of pharmacy, reducing processing time by 25%
- Identified and implemented cost-avoidance measures with a monitoring system and increased compliance rate of pharmaceutical purchases to 99%; received zero citations during audits and high-level inspections
- Led 63-person staff as Interim Senior Enlisted Leader, managing a $500K pharmacy renovation project
Pharmacy Technician/Field Technician
United States Navy
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Served 125 patients/day; dispensed 2,000 prescriptions quarterly, established standard operating procedures, managed a budget of $80K/year, and trusted as custodian of narcotics, with 100% compliance and accountability
Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor
Naval Hospital
01.2007 - 01.2013
- Supervised, trained, instructed, and mentored military and civilian staff in all facets of inpatient pharmacy, and maintained training records in accordance with command policy resulting in 100% compliance
- Efficiently and accurately processed and delivered over 8,000 medication orders monthly for wards and clinics
- Served as department Crash Cart Coordinator, updating and exchanging medications in 86 crash carts
- Held the role of Defense Travel System Coordinator, procuring funding for five applications and saving over $2k
- Maintained automated medication dispensing system and inpatient narcotics/controlled locker, organized the inpatient pharmacy in preparation for inspection, and conducted monthly inspections of the Post Anesthesia Care Unit and Internal Medicine clinic, ensuring proper storage, stock rotation, and disposal of expired medications
- Streamlined operational procedures, increased productivity, and reduced medication errors through creating and implementing new tools, including a crash cart diagram and 20 CHCS order sets for five critical care units
- Worked independently as night technician with minimal supervision, resulting in a 0.01% error rate
Education
Bachelor of Science - Health Care Administration
Kaplan University
01.2017
Associate of Science - Health Science
Kaplan University
01.2015
Skills
- Leadership & Management
- Customer Service
- Coordinating Staff
- Pharmacy Technician
- Team collaboration
- Confidentiality and HIPAA
- Workflow optimization
- Medication dispensing
- Prescription filling
- Dosage form preparation
- Drug storage procedures
- Interpreting orders
- Aseptic techniques
- OTC recommendations
- Patient education and counseling
- Problem-solving skills
- Compounding techniques
- Omnicell
- Pyxis
- Epic
Certification
- Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (Expires 2023)
- Medical Secretary, United States Military Apprentice Program, Department of Labor
- Computer Operator, United States Military Apprentice Program, Department of Labor
Timeline
Pharmacy Technician
Zen Leaf
05.2024 - Current
Certified Pharmacy Technician
Bon Secours Cancer Institute
06.2023 - 11.2023
Certified Pharmacy Technician
Naval Health Clinic
04.2015 - 05.2021
Pharmacy Technician/Field Technician
United States Navy
01.2013 - 01.2015
Inpatient Pharmacy Supervisor
Naval Hospital
01.2007 - 01.2013
Associate of Science - Health Science
Kaplan University
Bachelor of Science - Health Care Administration
Kaplan University
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