The field of pharmacy is a growing, but at the same time stagnant. It is growing because it is changing as the healthcare system is changing. After the changes in the healthcare system, the field has included pharmaceutical care in its mission. As described in Communications Skills for Pharmacist book, “pharmaceutical care requires the pharmacist to take responsibility for preventing and solving drug- related problems and optimizing drug therapy” (p.1, CP). On the other hand it is stagnant because the mission is not being fulfilled. The traditional way of practicing, which is dispensing drugs only, still persists.
The pharmacy is being practiced in an unethical way as the patient is told to sign the paper, without being informed what rights the patient is losing. Presently, there is a need of pharmacists in the healthcare system, since they have the knowledge of drug interaction. But there might be a reduction in need because the healthcare wants something more than just dispensing medications. The need for pharmacist will only be understood, when the people know what to expect from pharmacists. If the patients understand that the pharmacist can provide them counseling, then they will approach the pharmacist. Some pharmacists want to fulfill the pharmaceutical care mission, but the authority puts restrictions and also the pharmacist is not compensated for the work. Consequently, as the authority is not willing to cooperate, the improvement in the role is difficult.
In the delivery of healthcare every member of the healthcare team plays important role in ensuring that the most appropriate care is provided to the patient to the best of their expert capabilities. The role of a pharmacist is critical in delivering quality healthcare. The article “What Pharmacist Do?” by Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012) provides detailed statement of the important roles pharmacists play and the services they provide in healthcare delivery.
Pharmacist have a unique opportunity to spearhead improvements in overall quality of care and to create a better coordinated healthcare system. These healthcare practitioners play a role in managing and modifying medication therapies, typically, in some form of collaboration with the prescribing physician (Guglielmo, 2012). Pharmacist can be a part of medical home teams and can help improve the health of high-risk patients and patients with chronic conditions in primary settings. Pharmacist can serve as medication-use system experts, meet pay-for performance measures, and prevent hospital readmissions (Carrion & Martin, 2015).
Traditionally, pharmacists had no power of questioning any order made by the physician. It was also stated that a pharmacist had no power of advising the patient on the usage of medication. Currently, pharmacists have been given more power and therefore have the mandate of questioning any prescription from the physician. It has been observed that pharmacist can today share information with the doctor and ensure that patients get the right medication. Laws have allowed pharmacists to be consulted on some medications by patients, allowing patients to trust pharmacist on some simple questions that they do not need to visit their doctor. Pharmacists play a significant role in advising the patient today on the type of medication they are taking they are also held to the same standard when it comes to rules and
The forerunner of today's pharmacist, the apothecary procured, mixed, and evaluated medications. The role of the apothecary-pharmacist has undergone many changes over the centuries. Once associated with the supernatural and alchemy, the apothecary became a leading health care practitioner whose field of expertise was based on science and who often treated patients directly. Eventually, the traditional apothecary was replaced by pharmacists, as we know them from the local drug store. Today, the pharmacist is primarily a dispenser of drugs already formulated and manufactured by pharmaceutical
Society uses manipulation to divert people’s attention every day and oftentimes people do not realize that they are being manipulated. An advertisement through television is one of the many ways that people are manipulated. TV uses advertisements daily by incorporating subliminal messages to get people to do things that they would not otherwise be thinking about doing. The following articles “Can TV improve us?” by Jane Rosenzweig, On Sale at Old Navy: Cool Clothes for Identical Zombies!” by Damien Cave and TV’s War of Words” by Deborah Tannen exemplify instances where manipulation is being showcased at its best.
Specialty pharmacy is based on the dispensing and managing medications based on the disease state. Some examples of this include but are not limited to cancer, HIV/AIDS, hemophilia, and immune disorders. Specific and continuous monitoring is required for many chronic conditions and generally there is a high cost for the use of certain medications. Specialty pharmacy plays a role in ensuring the best outcome for these conditions and the minimalization of adverse reactions. Some of the appealing aspects listed about these positions include being able to work with other fields or health professionals, spending a good portion of their time working with patients, and having a flexible schedule. The more negative aspects of this position include traveling, the amount of prescriptions processed, and some respondents stated there was low patient interaction. According to United Health Groups article The Growth of Specialty Pharmacy, due to new therapies and treatments spending on specialty pharmacy is growing by double digit numbers. In 2012 the spending on specialty drugs was estimated to be about $87 billion and it is suggested that spending is could increase to $400 billion by
As the first generation in my family to go to college I learned the importance of education. I graduated from Benedictine University with a Bachelors in Science and an Environment Certificate. I became intregted by pharmacy when I started to spent countless hours at a hospital watching my grandfather go in and out of surgeries and treatments for cancer. Seeing the different medication being handed to him inspired me to understand biological and chemical processes that happened. A Pharmacists, role is to aim to help patients treat illness by introducing new developed treatment of medicines with a range of patients. I began to take special interest in memorizing all my grandfather’s medications and how practical and clinical aspect pharmacy worked.
Each school or Education Institute would have their own procedures and guidelines specific to their area or school.
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
My strongest impetus for the study of this major is pegged on the personal urge to improve the lives and health of those around me. I would only be able to serve the health of others when I am fully acquainted with the knowledge of pharmacy, which to me is one of the noblest professions. I am deeply concerned about the welfare of others. My experiences, especially as I visit hospitals form a significant part in influencing my choice to study pharmacy. At one point, I felt very bad when a pharmacist in a hospital I had visited was very indolent in serving a patient. All human beings would feel adored and valued when they are given appropriate attention in regard to their health. The health profession has a mission geared towards safeguarding people's health and that mission is perfectly in sync with my desires. I want to be exceptional, to do my best in caring for people, and attend to their interest to the best of my knowledge. I admire nourishing hope to desolate patients and always give them a reason to
Technicians help licensed pharmacists dispense medication to patients. They receive the prescription, enter it into
There are other pharmacy staff who also have roles in relation to the safe dispensing of medicines. A pharmacist is responsible for: Overall checking of a prescription to make sure that it is legal and written by a person qualified to do so, dispensing the right quantity of the correct medicine, ensuring that medicines are correctly labelled with the person’s name, the name of the medicine and the dosage, providing advice and treatment for minor illnesses, injuries and health concerns, providing a repeat prescription service in co-operation with GP
Today in the 21st century the roles of pharmacist have expanded tremendously. Before pharmacist had the role of solely dispensing drugs. Pharmacists were limited to only being regulatory or clinical pharmacist. Back then they were called medical purveyors who were much like today’s regulatory pharmacist and hospital pharmacist who are similar to hospital pharmacist. Now pharmacists carry many roles in healthcare. Pharmacist can play roles in public health, community, health systems, state, and federal government.
This semester has been a tough one but I feel like I have learned a lot about pharmacy over these past few months. I have had a lot of courses so far and in each one, I have been able to make connections to the practice of pharmacy. In this essay, I will reflect on some of things I learned in my courses and how they relate to my future career as a pharmacist. I will also identify areas where certain topics intersect in different courses.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee displayed an extreme maturity and telling themes for an author’s first novel. The novel displays the life of a small southern family struggling through the depression in the deep south of the sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama. The town was a metaphor for the prejudice climate in society. African American’s were referred to as “negroes” or worse and lived in fear of upsetting the white members of town daily. By examining the extreme prejudices shown throughout the novel from all social classes and ages, it is clear that Harper Lee uses Maycomb to depict racism in the 1930s.