Retail Pharmacist
Pharmacists, or "Pharmaceutical Chemists," are extremely specialised individuals in the field of chemistry. Their responsibilities are among the most important anywhere as their entire professional role involves taking care of patients' health - and in many cases - their very lives. Consequently, the level of education and training required to become a pharmacist is extremely extensive.
The retail pharmacist - the one with which most of us would associate the role - is the one who deals with the general public on a day to day basis. They are the pharmacists responsible for preparing and dispensing drugs prescribed by doctors. They are required to check not only that the drug to be issued is appropriate but that it is issued in the correct quantity, that the correct dosage is both displayed on the packaging and advised to the patient and that the drug prescribed appears to be in keeping with the patient's condition. They are also required, however, to liase with people directly and recommend a particular product for the treatment of minor ailments and conditions. It is extremely important in these circumstances that they check any allergies a patient may have, the details of their medical history and query which other drugs or medicines they may be taking at that time. They are equally liable for informing the patient of any side effects a certain drug may have and what should be done if serious bouts of same are experienced.
Liason with doctors and other health professionals is another major factor in the day to day role of a retail pharmacist, particularly in the area of keeping abreast of new product launches, trials and other medical advances. It may be thereafter that they will be required to educate and train their pharmacy assistants and other colleagues in such matters.
Record keeping and stock control is vital in premises where drugs are stored and dispensed and this is another factor of which the pharmacist is required to keep stringent control.
There are certain retail pharmacies where specialist services are offered such as taking blood pressure readings or offering pregnancy testing.
Pharmacists in hospitals have much in common of course with their retail counterparts but their day to day activities will also involve liasing in a much closer capacity with the likes of doctors and nurses and performing ward rounds dispensing drugs. They may also be closely involved in any clinical trials of new products currently being undertaken in the hospital.
The major drug companies naturally employ their own pharmacists at what may be referred to as the grass roots of the profession. These are the pharmacists who develop, test and observe the effects of new products before they are passed on to their retail and hospital colleagues for dispensing to patients.
A pharmacist is therefore required not only to be extremely intelligent, but to be extremely vigilant and pay the greatest of attention to the most minute of details at all times. All of our lives depend upon it.
