Retail pharmacy is a very crucial aspect of the healthcare system in the United States and the world in general. The last point of call where patients see a healthcare professional is the pharmacy and the pharmacist has a duty to the patient in the area of their safety and wellbeing. The work a pharmacist does in the field of retail pharmacy is seen by most part of the general public as “counting pills into a bottle and labeling it, sometimes leaving the computer screen to tell the patient to take their pills by just reading what the bottle says, but there is a more to it. As a teenager I had this same perception of a pharmacist as the guy or lady behind the counter counting pills, but there is a complex and technical process that ensures …show more content…
When Anne Butler who has been a pharmacist for over thirty years, and currently a Kroger pharmacy manager was in class to enlighten us about the duties of a retail pharmacist, I was curious to know more the area of pharmacy which I want to practice after school. Retail pharmacy as described by the quest speaker is a rewarding environment to work as a pharmacist because you get the opportunity to interact with patients on a daily basis. The best medicine that a pharmacist can dispense is love, loving the costumers and building good relationships with them. This is a sure way to ensure a successful pharmacy. From her experience pharmacy technicians are the backbone of the pharmacy, considering the volume of mechanical work they do to ensure the pharmacist has all they need to provide good services to the patients. It is part of the duties of a pharmacist to train the pharmacy technicians. In addition to the above, she stated that, the profession of pharmacy is growing with a lot of duties and specialties been …show more content…
The aspect of the work that offers challenge is the working condition of standing for at least an eight hour shift daily. It is my plan to work as a retail pharmacist because as the last point of contact before a patient receives a medication, not only will I be able to review the drug interactions and give specific advice about a medication, but I am also able to encourage them and let the light of God shine through me to them. In addition, with medication therapy management services, I can be able to effectively serve as a direct link between the patients, doctors and third party insurance companies and provide patients with cost effective treatments. The practice of pharmacy in the community has never been this smooth process we have come to see today. Even the knowledge base and requirements of pharmacist has increased tremendously over the years. America’s First Licensed Pharmacist in the 1800’s was Louis Dufilho and is celebrated to today for his contribution to the field of pharmacy. The practice of pharmacy had been around long before the first law was passed in Louisiana to require licensing before practice, a person could apprentice for six months and then compound and sell his or her own
Detail oriented. Serious health problems can result from mistakes in filling prescriptions. Although the pharmacist is responsible for ensuring the safety of all medications dispensed, pharmacy technicians should be detail oriented so that complications are
The compounding lab technicians will assist with compounding of ingredients, sterilizing of tools and equipment, entering/retrieving data with the computer, categorizing, calculating and analyzing the data, as well as assisting with customer service. Customers who chose to enter the pharmacy will enter at the front of the store and will be greeted by the store assistant. The assistant will greet each customer with a smile and make an offer to look at any herbal, mineral or store special offers. The assistant will also assist the customer with any prescription pick-ups. The most important job of the pharmacy assistant is to create a positive in-store experience. The pharmacy will have two wellness events each month such as better nutrition choices, cholesterol and diabetic screenings.
... for every pharmacist. This ratio dictates that pharmacists can not oversee every aspect of technicians’ jobs. It is this singular fact that very few people realize. The pharmacy technician who receives no formal training is responsible for not just the delivery of a patient’s medication, but also for their bill, their confidential information, and their life. The question now is, how can an uneducated individual be given so much responsibility? Technicians are granted these responsibilities because a pharmacist can not do the job alone. Pharmacists strive to mold each new technician into an employee that will realize what technicians really do. Pharmacists and technicians provide patients with safe and accurate medication in a timely manner. This is not a task for pharmacists or technicians alone; it is task that requires both personnel in order to be accomplished.
Pharmacists have a very tedious job because it requires a lot of attention to detail. Pharmacists dispense drugs and provide information to the patients about medication. Not only do they provide information to patients about side effects, but also they inform physicians of the ever-changing selection of drugs and dosage. Weighing, measuring, mixing drugs, finding the identity and purity, and strength of medications is also an important part of the job. Pharmacists must be sure not to dispense drugs that will have a negative reaction to the other medications that the patient may already be taking. Pharmacists work in clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated areas. They work with dangerous materials and sterile pharmaceutical products, which require them to wear gloves and masks. Many full time, salaried pharmacists work at least about forty hours per week. Community pharmacists research and dispense information and help for diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, and high blood pressure....
Pharmacists are highly educated in the form, uses, and interactions of certain medicines and also in how those medicines affect normal body functions. They keep thorough patient medication records, which contain important health information. Pharmacy technicians give advice to patients on the proper use of medications, and they also are important sources of information to physicians and other health care providers.
I pleased to apply to the PharmD program as the program is one area that corresponds to my career dreams. Being part of this program gives one the opportunity to gain an excellent experience in working and collaborating with various health care providers in the ward. But more importantly, it facilitates a practical environment in dealing more closely with patients. Hence, it helps to provide the ultimate health care services to patients. Also, it permits me to carry on gaining different knowledge, skills, and values in addition to those I have already developed during my undergraduate studies. My interest in being a clinical pharmacist was first aroused during my SPEP rotation in the hospital setting where I was really impressed with the role of clinical pharmacists who provide a consistent process of patient care with healthcare teams to maintain the appropriateness, effectiveness and safety of the medication use. Unlike a pharmacist, a clinical pharmacist has a more diversified responsibilities and closeness to direct patient care. Moreover, provides
Since my early schooling days, science and mathematics have always fascinated me given that all components of the world are explained on the basis of these disciplines. In this regard, Pharmacy which is based on Chemistry and Mathematics has interested me a great deal as it has direct impacts on our daily lives. The more I have become familiar with the chemistry and mathematics knowledge involved in pharmacy, the more I have appreciated its significance in improving the lives of people in the community. Out of the many careers that one would opt to pursue, Pharmacy has stood out as the career that will enable me serve the society more directly and have a real impact in the quality of peoples’ lives by touching their health. In addition, I love a career that is challenging and one that I will be involved in even in old age. In this case, Pharmacy offers me this opportunity. My interest in Pharmacy has also developed from my personal health experiences and becoming aware of its expansiveness. Every time I have had to take medicine to cure an illness, I have become more interested to know how drugs are made and how the drug components work in the human body to alleviate pain and restore health. I desire to pursue a career in Pharmacy so as to gain practical experience in these aspects of research.
The earliest glimpse of my future was at an elementary career day years ago. When I filled out what I was going to dress up as I wrote the word, “farmacist.” My mom was a pharmacist and I looked up to her and wanted to be just like her! So when career day rolled around I dressed in a white coat carrying a big bottle full of M&M’s to dispense to my classmates. Now so many years later here I am actually about to take on graduate school and follow in my mother’s footsteps to become a pharmacist. Of course my career path has been less than a straight line from “farmasist” to pharmacist. My passion and talent for math and science in high school allowed me to seriously consider a career in engineering. However, the more I considered engineering, the more there seemed to be something missing. As much as I loved solving problems I did not see
Physically counted medications and attached prescription labels for pharmacist review. Responsible for counting down cash registers for opening and closing of pharmacy. Other duties included answering phones, mail, filing, and maintaining cleanliness of the
When you ask people what you think when word “pharmacist” come to your mind? They often say pharmacist have to deal with variety of legal drugs. From my personal opinion, when I hear the word “Pharmacist”, I think of helping others. This inspiration came from my Health Science class I took in twelve grade. Until senior year of my high school, I did not know what I wanted to be. But it all changed, after my first shadowing experience at pharmacist station. There I learn about what exactly the pharmacist career is about, what are some of the equipments used in the field and how I can contribute the knowledge I receive here to help others.
The importance of the becoming a pharmacist should not be about what the career can give a person in monetary value or the amount of accolades one receives. Instead, the career should be about saving and improving human lives and serving the public. Pharmacists keep people healthy, make them feel better, and try to help the public live longer and happier lives as long as possible. From small infant children to the elderly, everyone needs pharmaceutical care. Sometimes it can be a matter of life and death if medication is not available to the public. Pharmacy as a career would be a wise decision if a person could withstand the amount of education the profession entails.
First, here is some important background information about Pharmacists. A Pharmacist is someone who is trained and licensed to distribute medicinal drugs and to advise on their use. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook Pharmacists do all of the following: "Fill prescriptions, verify proper amounts of medication to give to patients, check whether the prescription will interact negatively with other drugs that a patient is taking or conditions the patient has, instruct patients on how to and when to take a prescribed medicine, Advise patients on potential side effects they may experience from taking the medicine, Advise patients about general health topics, such as diet, exercise, managing stress, and on other issues, such as what equipment or supplies would be best for a health problem, Keep records and do other administrative tasks, Complete insurance forms and work with insurance companies to be sure that patients get the medicine they need, Teach other healthcare practitioners about proper medication therapies for patients, and lastly oversee the work of pharmacy technicians and pharmacists training."() Some pharmacists participate in compounding, where they create medications by mixing ingredients themselves. Pharmacists tha...
Pharmacists have very important roles in healthcare from all angles. Physicians and licensed practitioners that write a written prescription, the pharmacist reviews patient history, health conditions, and interactions with the new medication prescribed. As a pharmacy technician (for six years) I had a somewhat of an overview on what they accomplished in a shift but did not know everything on what I know now from this research. Pharmacy students that are in the process to obtain their doctor of pharmacy (D.Pharm.) go through a series of training, education and internship to become a well-rounded pharmacist.
During my senior year in high school, I started an internship at Walgreens Pharmacy in Brownsville, Texas. This was a unique opportunity for me to find out if I would like to have a career as a pharmacist. So far, not only have I learned about my interest in pharmacy, but I have also learned from Dr. Leonard, one of the pharmacists at Walgreens. Even though I have made many mistakes as a Pharmacy Technician Trainee, Dr. Leonard always motivated me to do better the next time and stay positive. He always has a smile when he is working and looks forward to helping others. As a result of his qualities, Dr. Leonard assists everyone work easier together because there are never arguments. If there is a misunderstanding, Dr. Leonard al...
Pharmacists often work together in a team with other healthcare professional like physicians and nurses. In the process, pharmacists will give advice to them on the selection of medication, by providing the evidences based on the dosage form, the side effects and possible interaction with food of the medication. On the other hand, pharmacists also take part in research and clinical studies. Recently, pharmacists are recruited to conduct pharmacy-based research in pharmacies. (Swanson, 2005)