Pharmacists and Prescription Drug Abuse

1412 Words3 Pages

West Virginia has one of the highest rates for prescription drug abuse, and overdose in the nation. In order to change this it is important to understand what pharmacists do, their role in prevention, and the severity of prescription drug abuse. Pharmacists are known to dispense prescription drugs to patients and inform them about their use; However, one aspect of their career most people overlook is that Pharmacists must keep a sharp eye out for criminals looking to abuse these prescribed drugs.
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...

... middle of paper ...

...s completely in the patients hands to do the right thing.

Works Cited

Eyre, Eric. "Pharmacists Struggle to Stop Sales of Drug Used to Make Meth." Charleston Gazette (2013): n.pag. Ebsco. Web. 2 Dec 2013 .

Hagen, Philip. Guide to Self Care: Everyday Health Problems. 3rd ed. Rochester, Jacksonville, Scottsdale: Mayo Clinic, 2010. 20-45. Print.

"Pharmacists." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Web. 8 Dec 2013 .

"Pharmacists." Webster's Dictionary . United States of America: KAPPA, 2003. Print.

"Topics in Brief: Prescription Drug Abuse." National Institute of Drug Abuse, 6 Dec 2011. Web. 8 Dec 2013 .

Show More
Related

  • Barbara Ehrenreich 's Nickel And Dimed

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    Prescription and pharmaceutical drug abuse is beginning to expand as a social issue within the United States because of the variety of drugs, their growing availability, and the social acceptance and peer pressure to uses them. Many in the workforce are suffering and failing at getting better due to the desperation driving their addiction.

    Read More

  • Pharmacy Technicians

    996 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... 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.

    Read More

  • Pharmacists, Podiatrists, Clinical Social Workers

    1393 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first profession is a pharmacist and it falls under the pharmacy department in the Wai’anae Coast Community Health Center. A pharmacist is among many healthcare professionals that provides service and care for a wide range of people. A pharmacist in a community pharmacy dispenses medication, gives advice to patients and physicians on the dosages, and interactions and side effects of their medication. A pharmacist also advises patients about their general health topics such as: diet and exercise, stress management, and provides information on other products their patients might need. Some of ...

    Read More

  • pharmacy technician

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    Job Description: Pharmacists ensure that medications are used appropriately, and that they bring about the best results. Their responsibilities include professionally interpreting and reviewing the prescription orders written by doctors, dentists, and other authorized health care providers, and also for giving out the medications accurately to patients. The main goal of pharmaceutical care is to improve the quality of patients? lives by the use of medications that have been prescribed in order to accomplish specific results.

    Read More

  • Clinical Pharmacist Personal Statement

    683 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • The Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis

    1696 Words  | 4 Pages

    The rate of death due to prescription drug abuse in the U.S. has escalated 313 percent over the past decade. According to the Congressional Quarterly Transcription’s article "Rep. Joe Pitt Holds a Hearing on Prescription Drug Abuse," opioid prescription drugs were involved in 16,650 overdose-caused deaths in 2010, accounting for more deaths than from overdoses of heroin and cocaine. Prescribed drugs or painkillers sometimes "condemn a patient to lifelong addiction," according to Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This problem not only affects the lives of those who overdose but it affects the communities as well due to the convenience of being able to find these items in drug stores and such. Not to mention the fact that the doctors who prescribe these opioids often tend to misuse them as well. Abusing these prescribed drugs can “destroy dreams and abort great destinies," and end the possibility of the abuser to have a positive impact in the community.

    Read More

  • Drug Administration to Patients

    1004 Words  | 3 Pages

    Drug administration forms a major part of the clinical nurse’s role. Medicines are prescribed by the doctor and dispensed by the pharmacist but responsibility for correct administration rests with the registered nurse (O'Shea 1999). So as a student nurse this has become my duty and something that I need to practice and become competent in carrying it out. Each registered nurse is accountable for his/her practice. This practice includes preparing, checking and administering medications, updating knowledge of medications, monitoring the effectiveness of treatment, reporting adverse drug reactions and teaching patients about the drugs that they receive (NMC 2008). Accountability also goes for students, if at any point I felt I was not competent enough to dispensing a certain drug it would be my responsibility in speaking up and let the registered nurses know, so that I could shadow them and have the opportunity to learn help me in future practice and administration.

    Read More

  • Prescription Drug Abuse

    522 Words  | 2 Pages

    David was a junior in high school. He started hanging with the wrong crowd and smoking marijuana. However, with his final year of high school approaching he wanted a change in his life. He joined the boxing team and quit doing drugs, but one Saturday night and that all ended. David was hanging out with a few friends and he was offered a patch that was supposed to make him feel very good. He didn't know what was in the patch, but it contained Fentanyl which is a special pain reliever for cancer patients. His friend told him to cut open the patch and eat what was inside. The next morning, David never woke up. Eight weeks later Liz Wiggins found out that it was the Fentanyl that killed her son (Fox News). "In 2004 there were 15 million Americans ages 12 and up that took Prescription Drugs and used them non-medically "(Prescription Drugs: Their use and Abuse). This paper will examine the causes of prescription drug abuse and the solutions such as providing more education and enforcing the distribution of prescription drugs.

    Read More

  • Prescription Drug Abuse Summary

    479 Words  | 1 Pages

    Introduction to Prescription Drug Abuse: Opposing Viewpoints highlighted the case of Michael Jackson’s drug overdose on prescription medications. Michael Jackson overdosed due to a combination of anesthetics and sedatives in his system. His doctor was enabling and facilitating his addiction, and, as a result, was charged with involuntary manslaughter (2013). The legal outcome of drug addiction not only affects the individual abusing the drugs, but can affect the practitioner if they are at fault. In the film, Sarah’s doctor acted in a similar way to Michael Jackson’s, ignoring both his better judgement and her consultation about the hallucinations and other side effects that she was experiencing from the amphetamines (Aronofsky, 2000).

    Read More

  • Drug Abuse In West Virginia

    274 Words  | 1 Pages

    West Virginia has a lot of issues due to drugs. Every Time people turn the news on there is either a death, or crime caused by drug abuse. West virginia has the highest drug overdose rate in the nation. That is three times the average.

    Read More

  • Prescription Drugs And Overdoses

    234 Words  | 1 Pages

    The current public health issue I have chosen is prescription drug and overdoses. This problem has been a growing epidemic over the years. Its effected in not just one state but the whole country and is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States. Our current president back in October, declared a 90-day opioid public health emergency. On January 29, 2018, the Economists published an article on this hot topic. According to the CDC in the year of 1999 the number of deaths caused by prescription drugs was 16,848 and risen to 63,632 deaths in 2016. According to a past study, they’ve discovered that with the decline of our countries economic conditions it has been showing an increase of use of pain reliever use and opioid abuse with the

    Read More

  • Informative Speech On Chronic Pain

    430 Words  | 1 Pages

    Increases in prescription drug misuse over the last 15 years are reflected in increased emergency room visits, overdose deaths associated with prescription drugs, and treatment admissions for prescription drug use disorders, the most severe form of which is addiction. Pharmaceutical services include all medication and related services that support the provision of patient care and treatment for both acute and chronic

    Read More

  • A Career as a Pharmacist

    611 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Pharmacy as a profession

    1700 Words  | 4 Pages

    Firstly, the main role of a pharmacist is to dispense medicines to their patients according to the prescription given. Before this, they have to ensure that they delivering the right drug, the strength and dosage of the medicine are appropriate, as well as ensuring the medication is safety and can work effectively in the human body. (Swanson, 2005)

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Pharmacists

    1458 Words  | 3 Pages

    They can also give advice on how to lead a healthy lifestyle, conduct health and wellness screenings, provide immunizations, and oversee the medications given to their patients. Furthermore, a pharmacist must pay close attention to the prescription they fill and give to their patients. They should be sure the prescription won’t interact negatively with other drugs a patient is taking, or any past or previous medical conditions the patient has. Next, they will instruct the patient on how and when to take the prescribed medicine, any potential side effects, and answer any additional question the patient may have. Other than dealing with prescriptions, pharmacists will complete insurance forms and communicate with insurance companies to ensure patients obtain the medicines they need. Lastly, pharmacists will oversee the work of their pharmacy technicians and any interns they may have. A prescription may be filled by a pharmacy technician, but must be checked by the pharmacist before being given to a patient. Pharmacists’ tasks may also vary depending on where they work. For example, clinical pharmacists working is hospitals or clinical setting will sped less time dispensing prescriptions, and more time going on rotations, overseeing the dosage and timing of medications to patients, and conducting medical tests. On the other hand,

    Read More

More about Pharmacists and Prescription Drug Abuse

Open Document