Sandy Coates

CPhT-Adv and CSPT with 15+ years of progressive pharmacy experience across acute care, sterile and nonsterile compounding, hazardous drug preparation, and pharmacy operations. Advanced experience in high-risk medication preparation, technician competency assessment, workflow development, and compliance-focused pharmacy practices. Experienced pharmacy preceptor and SOP developer with a strong background in improving operational consistency, medication safety, and departmental efficiency.

Senior Acute Pharmacy Technician | Pharmacy Preceptor at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix (2023-01 – Present)

• Prepare sterile compounded medications, chemotherapy, hazardous drugs, and medications supporting NICU patient care.
• Maintain compliance with USP <797> and USP <800> standards and established sterile compounding procedures.
• Trained to perform USP <797> personnel competency assessments, including media-fill testing and gloved fingertip and thumb sampling (GFT).
• Perform Pyxis inventory management, troubleshooting, cycle counts, inventory audits, medication expiration management, and unit inspections.
• Coordinate code cart inspections, medication replacement, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for pharmacy unit inspections, including inspection processes, expiration management, documentation standards, and workflow expectations.
• Utilize PharmacyKeeper for pharmacy workflow, compliance tracking, task management, and documentation.
• Developed monthly terminal cleaning procedures, documentation, and PharmacyKeeper workflows to standardize, assign, track, and document required sterile compounding area cleaning.
• Participate in quality assurance, medication safety, regulatory compliance, and process improvement initiatives.
• Train, mentor, and serve as a preceptor for pharmacy technicians and students, including sterile compounding and pharmacy operational workflows.

Sterile Compounding Pharmacy Technician at Munson Medical Center (2021-01 – 2023-12)

• Prepared sterile IV admixtures, chemotherapy medications, TPN solutions, and other compounded medications while maintaining established sterile compounding and quality assurance standards.
• Supported medication preparation and distribution for hospital patient care, including NICU medication needs.
• Followed appropriate PPE, handling, cleaning, documentation, and quality-control procedures during sterile and non-sterile compounding.
• Assisted with medication inventory control, stock management, and pharmacy distribution operations.

Office Manager at CC Sunscreens – Family-Owned Solar Screen Company (2016-01 – 2021-12)

• Managed daily office operations, scheduling, customer communications, invoicing, and recordkeeping.
• Coordinated inventory tracking, administrative functions, and general business operations.
• Balanced office management responsibilities while completing college coursework.

Compounding Laboratory Technician at Carefree Compounding Pharmacy (2014-01 – 2016-12)

• Prepared a wide variety of non-sterile compounded medications, including suspensions, solutions, gels, ointments, creams, lozenges, oral pastes, transdermal gels, powders, and capsules.
• Created and adjusted compounding formulas while following established preparation, documentation, quality, and safety procedures.
• Performed accurate weighing, measuring, mixing, and preparation of customized compounded medications.
• Trained and supported new hires on compounding procedures, laboratory workflow, equipment uses, safety practices, and departmental expectations.
• Utilized appropriate PPE and safely operated compounding equipment, including ointment mills, pH meters, graduated cylinders, mortar and pestles, beakers, and suppository/triturate molds.

Compounding Laboratory Technician at The Apothecary Shop (Avella / Optum) (2009-01 – 2014-12)

• Prepared customized compounded medications, including gels, creams, ointments, lozenges, suppositories, capsules, and chemotherapy compounds.
• Prepared capsules using both manual hand-packing techniques and capsule-filling equipment.
• Entered, maintained, and updated compounding formulas across multiple pharmacy systems to support accurate preparation and documentation.
• Followed established compounding procedures, safety requirements, and quality standards throughout medication preparation.
• Maintained inventory logs and assisted with tracking compounded medication supplies and laboratory materials.

Pre-Pharmacy and General Education Studies – Glendale Community College

Pharmacy Technician Diploma – Bryman School (2007-12)

High School Diploma / GED (2005-12)