The Job of a Pharmacist
Pharmacists are the only health care professionals trained specifically as experts on the safe and effective use of medications in patients to treat and prevent disease. It is a big responsibility and requires extensive education. Not surprising, today’s pharmacists are required to earn doctoral degrees in pharmacy, known as the PharmD. To practice, PharmDs must pass rigorous licensing examinations.
The most important focus of the pharmacist is the patient. Pharmacists guard patients’ health and advocate for patients to ensure they receive the best pharmacy care available to them.
Well known is the role of the pharmacist in distributing drugs prescribed by other health practitioners and counseling patients about medications and their use. Pharmacists also advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. They monitor the health and progress of patients in response to drug therapy to ensure the safe and effective use of medications.
Pharmacists work in community settings, such as retail drugstores, in health care facilities, such as hospitals, nursing homes, mental health institutions, and neighborhood health clinics. They work in the pharmaceutical industry, in academia, in management positions within health care organizations, in government—and more. There is a growing need for pharmacists with research expertise who can bring clinical expertise to the discovery and development of drugs.
Pharmacists in community and retail pharmacies, as examples, counsel patients and answer questions about prescription drugs, including questions regarding possible side effects or interactions among various drugs. They provide information about over-the-counter drugs and make recommendations after talking with the patient. Some community pharmacists might also provide additional services such as vaccination administration or assistance to patients who have chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or high blood pressure.
Pharmacists in health care facilities dispense medications and advise the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs. They may make sterile solutions to be administered intravenously. They also assess, plan, and monitor drug programs or regimens. Pharmacists counsel hospitalized patients on the use of drugs and on their use at home when the patients are discharged. Pharmacists also may evaluate drug-use patterns and outcomes for patients in hospitals or managed care organizations.
As the number and complexity of drugs increases, as the aging United States population increasingly needs more and more medications, and as the incidence of chronic diseases, such as asthma and diabetes continues to rise, the pharmacist is ever more important to the health of patients and to the coordinated team approach to care patients need.
Whether they are advising physicians about medication treatment options, advising patients about potential drug interactions, or working with scientists on the development of new drugs, pharmacists focus on the safe and effective use of medicines in patients.