In the United States, there are over 250,000 pharmacists. They work in a wide range of settings, including retail pharmacies, nursing homes, the military, and the pharmaceutical industry, to name a few. Hospital pharmacies employ about a quarter of pharmacists. Pharmacists in management roles and staff pharmacists are the two types of pharmacists employed in hospitals.
Director of Pharmacy, assistant directors, pharmacy coordinators, and, in many cases, drug information pharmacists are among the positions held hospital pharmacists in management. Many of these jobs necessitate a pharmacy degree combined with a master’s degree and/or a pharmacy residency. Hospital pharmacy management positions typically require several years of experience working in a hospital pharmacy. This ensures that pharmacy managers are aware of the specifics of the hospital’s drug distribution system.
In a hospital, staff pharmacists may work in the main pharmacy, patient care units, intensive care units, and operating rooms. Some positions as a staff hospital pharmacist only require a PharmD, while others require a year or two of pharmacy residency training. Some larger hospitals have on-staff pharmacists as well as specialized pharmacy practitioners who work with specific medical teams or patient care units. These pharmacists have additional training and experience in fields like oncology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and cardiology. Patient care unit pharmacists, satellite pharmacists, and clinical pharmacists are some of the other names for hospital staff pharmacists.
Many hospitals offer pharmacy services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As a result, the hospital pharmacist may work day or night shifts and be available for emergencies via phone or pager. Most hospital pharmacists are paid the hour when they work shifts. Many specialized clinical pharmacists, as well as pharmacy administrators, are salaried employees.
The pharmacy department is in charge of the overall control and distribution of all drugs within the hospital. Pharmacy satellites, patient care units, emergency rooms, operating rooms, radiology departments, and intensive care units are all examples of this. Furthermore, except in an emergency, each physician drug order must be reviewed a pharmacist prior to dispensing to ensure that it is accurate and appropriate for the intended patient. As a result, hospital pharmacist jobs may include a variety of dispensing, monitoring, communication, and drug policy development responsibilities.
Many people think of a pharmacist’s traditional job as dispensing medications based on a physician’s order. Dispensing oral medications, as well as sterile medications for intravenous injection, nutritional solutions, and potentially toxic medications like chemotherapy, are all part of this process in hospitals. The hospital pharmacist must also keep track of the dispensing of drugs that have the potential to be abused, such as some pain relievers and compound topical medications. Many of these responsibilities are delegated to pharmacy technicians, who work under the supervision of the hospital pharmacist.
Pharmacist jobs in hospitals have evolved beyond traditional dispensing roles, and these professionals are frequently an integral part of the medical team. They communicate with nurses and physicians on a regular basis to provide advice on the best drug therapy. Pharmacists in hospitals also keep an eye out for drug interactions and side effects, collect medication histories when patients are admitted, and counsel patients who are about to be discharged.
The hospital pharmacist’s final and most important task is to develop drug policies. Pharmacists serve on the hospital’s medication use committees, particularly the Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee. This committee decides which medications the hospital will stock, as well as developing and monitoring drug therapy programs throughout the facility. Because medication errors frequently result in extended hospital stays, hospital pharmacists keep a close eye on potential medication errors on a regular basis.
The hospital pharmacist’s role is changing all the time. As drug therapy becomes more complex and medication costs rise, hospital pharmacists with a wealth of scientific knowledge, problem-solving skills, and exceptional communication skills are in greater demand. This can help ensure that all hospitalized patients receive safe and effective drug therapy.