correctional facilities pharmacist.

[ILikeDrugs]

So I have been searching for jobs lately and looking in all sorts of places. As I was looking through state jobs on CA's website I came across an open position for a correctional facilities pharmacist. I was surprised because I never gave thought to pharmacists working in a prison setting even though I'm fully aware of prisoners taking meds (lots of psych meds albeit). The salary range was $9,246.00-$9,708.00 for pharm. I and $10,170.00-$10,679.00 for pharm. II.

Anyways, does anyone have any experience working in this setting? What is it like.

I'd definately be hitting the weights months before I applied for this position. That way I would be real buff before I went in.

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[Pharmavixen]

http://www.bop.gov/jobs/job_descriptions/pharmacist.jsp

I've worked in a jail for the past eleven years. Inmates have higher rates of HIV, Hep C, and drug and alcohol abuse, and it's generally not a geriatric population, but lots and lots of self-inflicted ailments.

You're working for the government, so there's lots of paperwork. And when the guards went on strike a few years back, I was told I had to cross the picket line or face disciplinary action, and that was sort of a nightmare.

Let's see; what else? If you live in a state that has capital punishment, you may be asked to make the lethal cocktail.

The main part of my job is to prepare the methadone and administer the methadone program, though stateside I think you have nurses doing that.

I've been involved in the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, deciding what drugs to stock. I was instrumental in getting Oxycontin out of Corrections (we substitute long-acting morphine capsules that can be opened, so diversion is a lot more complicated than with the oxys).

Overall, it's a heck of a lot better than working retail.

 

[crossurfingers]

I think it sounds kind of fun. You must have some interesting stories and I'd love to hear them.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

http://www.bop.gov/jobs/job_descriptions/pharmacist.jsp

I've worked in a jail for the past eleven years. Inmates have higher rates of HIV, Hep C, and drug and alcohol abuse, and it's generally not a geriatric population, but lots and lots of self-inflicted ailments.

You're working for the government, so there's lots of paperwork. And when the guards went on strike a few years back, I was told I had to cross the picket line or face disciplinary action, and that was sort of a nightmare.

Let's see; what else? If you live in a state that has capital punishment, you may be asked to make the lethal cocktail.

The main part of my job is to prepare the methadone and administer the methadone program, though stateside I think you have nurses doing that.

I've been involved in the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, deciding what drugs to stock. I was instrumental in getting Oxycontin out of Corrections (we substitute long-acting morphine capsules that can be opened, so diversion is a lot more complicated than with the oxys).

Overall, it's a heck of a lot better than working retail.

so how much contact do you have with the inmates, if any at all?