Pharmacist Role of Dispensing Prescriptions - Assignment Example

Running Head: PHARMACIST ROLE OF DISPENSING PRESCRIPTIONS School: Topic: Pharmacist Communication Skills with the Role of Dispensing Prescriptions Lecturer: Date of Presentation: Introduction After a doctor recommends drugs to a patient, it is usually the work of pharmacists to distribute them to patients. They have a wide knowledge in regard to this task. Apart from dispensing, they also offer advice to patients and doctors regarding the choice, prescribed amount, action on the body as well as the possible side effects of the drugs. They are also in charge of making follow ups in order to establish the appropriateness of the prescribed drugs to the patient. In doing so, they ensure that the patient is safe while using the drugs. It is common to find pharmacists working within the community dispensing drugs from a retail drug shop, hospitals, and other institutions that offer health services to the public. While working in such environments, pharmacists offer essential advice to individuals in regard to effective use of medications. Doctors can acquire useful information from pharmacists concerning drug therapy of the patient (Matthews 2008). The pharmacists therefore have many roles to play in dispensing prescriptions as well as offering advice to patients. This essay is a critical evaluation of the role of the pharmacist in dispensing prescriptions. The Role of the Pharmacist in Dispensing Prescriptions Traditionally, pharmacists were responsible for producing and dispensing drugs. There has been an increase in the number of pharmaceutical companies and therefore the role of manufacturing has largely been left for these companies. However, the pharmacists possess the knowledge of producing these drugs and therefore are highly capable individuals in regard to determining the effectiveness as well as the side effects in regard to the use of prescriptions. There has been a rising health demand in the recent years, a fact that has increased the role of pharmacists. More so because of the ever increasing as well as sophisticated variety of medications has increased this health demand. The reason behind this is the fact that each pharmaceutical company tends to advertise in order to increase turnover. However, it is generally understood that not all drugs are manufactured according to the international standards. Pharmacists come in handy through their informed analysis to advice patients as well as doctors regarding such flaws in the manufacturing companies (Jcaho 2007); hence the patient can be saved from taking substandard drugs that may have detrimental effects on the body. The pharmacist therefore has a role in protecting the patient from taking harmful prescriptions. Adverse cases amongst patients have been identified as a consequence of failure to adhere to the prescriptions. It turns out to be a costly and time consuming activity of rehabilitating a patient who has messed up with the prescribed medication. Many such victims fail to stick to the prescriptions due to ignorance in regard to the consequences. The pharmacist has substantial knowledge concerning the dangers of such failures and plays a significant role in ensuring that the patient is informed on how to use the drugs effectively. This knowledge is important for the patient and boosts the possibility of recovery. On the other hand, there is usually a tendency of people to share medicines on the basis that they have a common ailment. The pharmacist has a role of advising the patient on the dangers of sharing drugs, or taking them without a doctor’s prescription. This has been a major problem especially in the areas where malaria is rampant. People are used to observing the symptoms and believing that they are suffering from the disease. They usually purchase tablets without seeking advice. This has been causing serious health issues and therefore the pharmacists are essential in ensuring that drugs are not taken without proper diagnosis by a physician. Pharmaceutical care is therefore a significant role of pharmacists especially in areas where literacy levels are low (Matthews 2008). In order for dispensing prescriptions to be effective in health care facilities or retail drug stores, it is important to ensure that the initial stages of procurement are carefully conducted. The pharmacist plays a significant role in offering essential advice in regard to what is to be purchased. Having extensive knowledge in regard to the patient’s response to various drugs, he/she has a role to play in ensuring that the drugs offered to patients are of the best quality. The pharmacist is in charge of developing a care plan for dispensing medications as well as a report on the anticipated results in regard to the health of the patient. In case of failures in the effectiveness of prescriptions, it is the responsibility of the pharmacist to offer advice to the physician on the possible alternative drugs available to serve the same purpose. He/she is also responsible for ensuring that expired drugs are not supplied to the patients. There are situations whereby the wrong prescriptions are given by the physicians by either mistake or negligence. According to Jcaho (2007), “problems have in the past been detected by pharmacists in the process of dispensing drugs”. Some prescriptions are usually not precise while others have reflected the wrong dosage. There are also cases where patients receive prescriptions while taking other drugs. Some of the drugs may be harmful once they interact in the body, and many other problems such as contraindications. The pharmacists play a significant role in detecting these problems. Once they contact the physician, he/she can note the abnormalities in the prescriptions and make the necessary corrections. With the recent rise in the number of drugs for various diseases, confusion might arise thereby causing the physicians to give the wrong prescriptions. The pharmacists play an important role of verifying and informing the physician concerning the recommended medications, and in so doing, they protect the patients from the adversity related with wrong prescriptions (Thompson and Davidow 2009). The knowledge required in dispensing medications is extensive and this activity needs skilled people who have undergone sufficient training. Without this kind of knowledge, it is likely that errors will be made and the consequences may be detrimental to the patients. There are cases whereby patients have suffered due to receiving the wrong medication even with the right prescriptions from the physician. This usually happens due to lack of experts in pharmacy. The pharmacists therefore help in informing the patients concerning receiving medications from unqualified distributors. They provide information concerning the possible side effects of certain drugs which may not have adverse consequences. Banahan (1999) observes that cases have been reported where patients have taken drastic and unwarranted measures due to signs that result from side effects of drugs such as diarrhea and vomiting. This has resulted in even greater intensity of health problems. It is therefore clear that there is an important role for pharmacists to play in regard to educating patients concerning various reactions of the body to drugs. In many situations whereby the patient takes an individual initiative to take medications, the pharmacists come in handy. They assess the patient’s state and give the necessary advice. This is an important role in the maintenance of public safety since patients are usually unable to tell exactly what they are suffering from. This is because they do not have knowledge in regard to diagnosing diseases. Pain killers are the most commonly requested by patients. However, some usually are unable to associate prolonged pain, for example headache to certain serious ailments and may continue taking painkillers rather than visiting a physician. The pharmacists can be helpful in cautioning the patients concerning prolonged use of drugs, and educate them on problems such as drug resistance and other possible dangers of this practice (Thompson and Davidow 2009). They can help the patient in avoidance of the possible dangers associated with medications, which may not be clear to the patients. Pharmacists are knowledgeable concerning the effects of taking certain food stuffs while using medications. They offer essential advice concerning what the patient needs to eat in order to avoid adverse interactions between food and drugs. This is knowledge that patients may not possess and is essential in maintaining the effectiveness of drugs. Pharmacists are also important in advising mothers on how to give drugs to children. It is usually a delicate task since children can not explain exactly how the feel after consumption of drugs. There is a case whereby a breastfeeding woman was reported to have mistaken the wrong prescriptions for side effects of drugs. Such a case leads to reluctance of consulting the doctor and can lead to adverse consequences (Abood 2005). A pharmacist could have assisted the parent through educating her on how to detect signs of side effects and differentiate them from adverse consequences of the wrong prescriptions. Conclusion It is important to appreciate the role of pharmacists in maintenance of people’s health. Their role is not only to dispense drugs, but also to offer essential information to the patients as well as physicians in regard to medications. They have proofed to be significant in assisting physicians where errors have been made concerning prescriptions. This is an essential role that has saved the lives of many patients who otherwise could have consumed wrongly prescribed drugs that may have detrimental impacts on the well being of patients. In general, pharmacists play a fundamental role in the field of healthcare. Without them, completeness in provision of health care can not be accomplished. References Abood R. (2005). Pharmacy Practice and the Law, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. Banahan B. (1999). Marketing to Pharmacists: Understanding Their Role and Influence, Informa HealthCare. Jcaho J. (2007). The Pharmacists Role in Patient Safety, Joint Commission Resources. Matthews V. (2008). Pharmacists arent just doling out Drugs - theyre giving Medical Advice, too, U.K., Independent News and Media Limited. Thompson J. and Davidow L. (2009). A Practical Guide to Contemporary Pharmacy Practice, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Read More