Pharmacist
Pharmacists, also known as chemists or druggists, are
healthcare professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences
focusing on safe and effective medication use. A pharmacist is a member of the
health care team directly involved with patient care. Pharmacists undergo
university-level education to understand the biochemical mechanisms and actions
of drugs, drug uses, therapeutic roles, side effects, potential drug
interactions, and monitoring parameters. This is mated to anatomy, physiology,
and pathophysiology. Pharmacists interpret and communicate this specialized
knowledge to patients, physicians, and other health care providers.
Among other licensing requirements, different countries
require pharmacists to hold either a Bachelor of Pharmacy, Master of Pharmacy,
or Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
Dispensing is an integral service provided by pharmacists
as part of the Medication Management Cycle. The separation of prescribing and
dispensing of medicines provides a safety mechanism as it ensures independent
review of a prescription occurs prior to the commencement of treatment.
Medication Management Cycle
Step 1: The pharmacist will
ask if you have visited this pharmacy before. If the answer is ‘No’, you will
be asked to fill out a consent form. This allows the pharmacist to fill your
prescription. If the answer is ‘Yes’, they will ask for an identifier (birthday
or home address). This allows for an easy search within the pharmacy's computer
system for your prescription records. You will then be asked if you have had
this medication before, and what it is being used to treat. This information
will allow the pharmacist to personalize your medication counsel when the
medication is picked up.
Step 2: A Pharmacy technician
will enter the prescription into your profile, checking the: doctor’s
information, medication/dose, indications from the prescriber, and quantity of
the script. The pharmacy system will check for possible interactions or other
potential issues through the Nova Scotia Drug Information System.
Step 3: The medication bottle
will be scanned and packaged with the Lot and Expiry. The medication is then
counted for the designated quantity, labelled and handed off to the pharmacist
to be checked.
Step 4: The pharmacist will
perform a check of your medication, reviewing previous usage (if any), and
information entered at the beginning work station. They will also print off
counselling documents to provide the patient with more information on the
medication.
Step 5: The patient will pick
up their medication and have a quick conversation with the pharmacist to ensure
proper communication and compliance.
A prescription (symbol: ℞, representing the Latin imperative verb, recipe = take,
take thou) is a health-care program implemented by a physician or
other qualified health care practitioner in the form of instructions that
govern the plan of care for an individual patient.[1] The term often refers to
a health care provider's written authorization for a patient to purchase a
prescription drug from a pharmacist.
The prescription gives the pharmacist details about the
required prescription medicine including:
1.
The name of the
medicine (its active ingredient name and/or brand name)
2.
Whether or not brand
substitution is allowed – that means, if the pharmacist can give you an
alternative brand of your medicine that contains the same active ingredient
3.
The form of your
medicine – for example, tablets, liquid or cream
4.
The strength of your
medicine – for example, 75 milligrams (mg) per tablet or 75 mg per millilitre
(ml) of liquid
5.
Dosage of medicine you
need to take – for example, one tablet once daily
6.
Other instructions for
taking the medicine – for example, how long you need to take it for
7.
Quantity of medicine
required – for example, 40 tablets
8.
Number of repeat prescriptions,
if any, to be filled once the current prescription runs out.
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