Pharmacy at Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s

We provide comprehensive medication management across hospitals, outpatient clinics, specialty pharmacies, infusion centers and community partnerships. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work on interprofessional teams to ensure safe, effective and timely medication therapy for patients of all ages. With locations the Louisville and Southern Indiana region, we offer a strong environment for those pursuing careers in pharmacy and pharmacy technology.

Pharmacist

What Is a Pharmacist?

A pharmacist is a medication specialist responsible for ensuring that medications are used safely and effectively. Pharmacists at our facilities practice across a wide range of settings, including retail pharmacies, inpatient hospital pharmacies, physician clinics, home infusion, specialty pharmacy and oncology services. Pharmacists review, verify and optimize medication therapy while collaborating closely with physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other clinicians. Their work helps prevent medication errors, supports patient recovery and ensures high‑quality care across inpatient, outpatient and specialty settings.

Clinical responsibilities may include antimicrobial stewardship, anticoagulation management, sterile compounding oversight, chemotherapy verification, medication reconciliation, participating in rapid response and code teams, mitigating financial barriers and more. Pharmacists also play a key role in educating patients and families, answering medication questions and helping guide treatment decisions throughout the healthcare system.

What Does a Typical Day Look Like for a Pharmacist?

• Inpatient hospital pharmacists:
  • Verify orders, adjust doses (renal/hepatic, pediatrics) and provide therapeutic recommendations.
  • Round with teams (intensive care unit, oncology, pediatrics, medicine, surgery).
  • Oversee sterile compounding, review IV admixtures/total parental nutrition (for tube feeding)/chemotherapy orders.
  • Educate patients and caregivers on new or high‑risk medications.
  • Participate in code responses, antimicrobial stewardship and quality/safety projects.
• Outpatient pharmacists in retail, physician clinics specialty/infusion pharmacy locations:
  • Educate patients and their families on medication therapy and administration,
  • Aid in education about medication therapies and diseases.
  • Mitigate financial barriers for patients
  • Ensure maximal efficacy and safety of medication regimens prior to dispensing to patients.

How Do I Become a Pharmacist?

Education and Training

• Preprofessional coursework (typically  two to four years of college prerequisites
• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program (three to four years)
• Postgraduate training (optional but common): Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY‑1) and PGY‑2 residencies or fellowships in specialties such as critical care, pediatrics, oncology, infectious diseases, emergency medicine, cardiology, ambulatory care or health‑system administration and leadership
• Licensure: North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) or applicable state exam
• Ongoing competency: Continuing education to maintain licensure and clinical privileges

Credentialing and Certifications

• State pharmacist license in good standing
• Board of Pharmacy specialties, where applicable, for example:
  • Board certified pharmacotherapy specialist (BCPS)
  • Board certified critical care pharmacist (BCCCP)
  • Board certified infectious diseases pharmacist (BCIDP)
  • Board certified oncology pharmacist (BCOP)
  • Board certified pediatric pharmacy specialist (BCPPS)
• Advanced life support certifications for certain clinical areas:
  • Basic life support (BLS)
  • Advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS)
  • Pediatric advanced life support (PALS)
• Sterile compounding competency and media fill testing for IV room practice

Pharmacy Technician

What Is a Pharmacy Technician?

Pharmacy technicians support pharmacists by handling many technical aspects of the medication‑use process. This can include receiving and processing orders, preparing sterile and nonsterile products, packaging and dispensing medications, managing automated dispensing cabinets, maintaining inventory, conducting medication histories with patients, and assisting with prior authorizations or patient support in outpatient and specialty settings. Techs play a key role in safety, accuracy and workflow efficiency across inpatient and outpatient areas.

What Does a Typical Day Look Like for a Pharmacy Technician?

Inpatient hospital pharmacy technicians:

• Prepare and deliver scheduled medications; restock automated dispensing cabinets.
• Compound sterile products in the IV room following U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) standards and site policies.
• Process orders and labels, manage batch compounding, and handle returns/wastes.
• Support controlled substance accountability and inventory management.
• Coordinate with nurses, pharmacists and couriers to keep medication flow on time.

Outpatient pharmacy technicians:

• Process prescriptions, fill medication refills and handle returns/wastes.
• Submit prescriptions to insurance for review.
• Coordinate prescription pickup, delivery or mail-order services.
• Initiate and follow-up on prior authorization.
• Facilitate Meds to Beds for patients being discharged

Both roles are highly interactive, technical and patient‑centered. They require accuracy, communication and a strong commitment to safety.

How Do I Become a Pharmacy Technician?

Education and Training

Our organization supports multiple entry points into the pharmacy technician role:

• Entry‑level technician roles may not require prior experience; on‑the‑job training is provided.

Professional Skills and Competencies

Technicians are expected to:

• Accurately prepare, label and dispense medications under pharmacist supervision.
• Safely handle sterile and nonsterile compounding (per USP standards) where applicable.
• Operate automated dispensing cabinets, carousel systems and barcode technology.
• Manage inventory, receiving and medication deliveries across units.
• Demonstrate strong communication, teamwork and attention to detail.

Credentialing and Advancement

• Certification (highly valued): Certified pharmacy technician (CPhT) by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or National Healthcareer Association Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).
• State registration: Meet Kentucky and/or Indiana registration requirements for technicians.
• Advanced roles: PTCB advanced certified pharmacy technician (CPhT‑Adv), chemotherapy compounding technician, buyer/inventory specialist, lead technician, sterile compounding specialist, medication history technician

Practice Settings

• Inpatient hospital pharmacy: Central distribution, IV room, intensive care unit, operating room
• Outpatient and specialty pharmacy: Oncology, rheumatology, neurology and other complex therapies; prior authorizations and patient assistance
• Ambulatory/clinic pharmacy: Transitions of care, chronic disease management, anticoagulation, infusion centers and home infusion
• Pediatrics: Norton Children’s environments with weight‑based dosing and specialized preparations
• Emergency/critical care: Rapid turnaround, code participation, toxicology support

How to Begin Your Career

Explore and Shadow

Curious about pharmacy or the technician pathway? Norton Healthcare offers job shadowing so you can observe pharmacy roles firsthand and see whether they are the right fit.

Job Search

Start your career by exploring current opportunities.