Pharmacist
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[edit] History
In ancient Japan, the men who fulfilled roles similar to pharmacists were respected. The place of pharmacists in society was settled in the Taihō Code (701) and re-stated in the Yōrō Code (718). Ranked positions in the pre-Heian Imperial court were established; and this organizational structure remained largely intact until the Meiji Restoration (1868). In this highly stable hierarchy, the pharmacists—and even pharmacist assistants—were assigned status superior to all others in health-related fields such as physicians and acupuncturists. In the Imperial household, the pharmacist was even ranked above the two personal physicians of the Emperor.[1][edit] Nature of the work
Historically, the fundamental role of pharmacists as a healthcare practitioner is to distribute drugs that have been prescribed by a prescriber to patients. In more modern times pharmacists advise patients and health care providers on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications, and act as a learned intermediary between a prescriber and a patient. Pharmacists monitor the health and progress of patients to ensure the safe and effective use of medication. Pharmacists may practice compounding (mixing ingredients to form medications); however, most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and drug delivery form. In many jurisdictions, pharmacists have prescriptive authority to either independently prescribe under their own authority or in collaboration with a primary care physician through an agreed upon protocol.[2]Pharmacists are educated in pharmacology, pharmacognosy, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, microbiology, pharmacy practice (including drug interactions, medicine monitoring, medication management), pharmaceutics, pharmacy law, physiology, anatomy, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug delivery, pharmaceutical care, nephrology, hepatology, and compounding of medications. Additional curriculum covers diagnosis with emphasis on laboratory tests, disease state management, therapeutics and prescribing (selecting the most appropriate medication for a given patient).
One of the most important roles that pharmacists are currently taking on is one of pharmaceutical care.[3] Pharmaceutical care involves taking direct responsibility for patients and their disease states, medications, and the management of each in order to improve the outcome for each individual patient. Pharmaceutical care has many benefits that include but are not limited to:
- Decreased medication errors
- Increased patient compliance in medication regimen
- Better chronic disease state management
- Strong pharmacist-patient relationship
- Decreased long-term costs of medical care
- clinical medication management
- the assessment of patients with undiagnosed or diagnosed conditions and for decisions about the clinical medication management required.
- specialized monitoring of disease states
- reviewing medication regimens
- monitoring of treatment regimens
- delegating work
- general health monitoring
- compounding medicines
- general health advice
- providing specific education to patients about disease states and medications
- oversight of dispensing medicines on prescription
- provision of non-prescription medicines
- counseling and advice on optimal use of medicines
- advice and treatment of common ailments
- referrals to other health professionals if necessary
- dosing drugs in renal and hepatic failure
- pharmacokinetic evaluation
- education of physicians and other health care providers on medications and their proper use
- limited prescribing of medications only in collaboration with other health care professionals
- providing pharmaceutical information
- promoting public health by administering immunizations
[edit] UK peculiarity
In much of the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth pharmacists are customarily sometimes referred to as chemist (or dispensing chemists),[4] a usage which can, especially without a context relating to the sale or supply of medicines, cause confusion with scientists in the field of chemistry. This term is a historical one, since some pharmacists passed an examination in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (PhC) set by the then Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in 1852 and these were known as "Pharmaceutical Chemists". This title is protected by the Medicines Act 1968 section 78.The 1852 Pharmacy Act, June 30 established a Register of Pharmaceutical Chemists in Great Britain , restricted to those who had taken the Society’s exams. However, the Act did not restrict the practice of pharmacy to examined and registered people, nor provide a legal definition for the trade and practice of pharmacy. This was first done by the Pharmacy Act of 1868.[5]
In the near future it is proposed by the Draft Pharmacy Order 2009 that the title "pharmacist" be restricted to those who register with a new Regulatory body - the General Pharmaceutical Council - due to be established to take this role over from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in 2010.
[edit] Qualifications and registration
In the United States, a pharmacist must complete 4 years of graduate level training at a pharmacy school, usually after receiving a bachelors degree. A bachelors degree is not required as most pharmacy schools only require two years of undergraduate education and the completion of a list of prerequisites. Competition to obtain entry into pharmacy school, however, limits the number of students admitted without a bachelors degree. There are currently 116 accredited pharmacy schools in the United States, ( late 2009 ) and 6 of these schools offer "accelerated" 3 year PharmD programs by attending school almost year round - with less breaks for summer and holidays. There also is one fully accredited "distance/online" 4 year PharmD program offered by Creighton University. Pharmacists receive a PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) upon graduation, and licensure after passing the NAPLEX and MPJE.
In Australia, a pharmacist must complete 4 years of university at a Bachelor level or, alternatively, an undergraduate degree in a science or health field followed by a 2-year graduate entry Masters level course. At the completion of the entry level qualification, a one-year compulsory pre-registration year of at least 1824 hours is undertaken in hospital or community. There are two specified post-graduate level units at university, three written exams during this year, culminating in an oral exam with two examiners. It is only after at least 4 years of undergraduate study, and the pre-registration year that a person is entitled to use the protected title, pharmacist.
Australian pharmacists have the option to complete further postgraduate qualifications. In particular, those working in the hospital sector often choose to do so. Common postgraduate qualifications include the Master of Clinical Pharmacy (MClinPharm), an MBA, or a PhD.
[edit] Earnings and Wage
United States of America 2010 Pharmacy Compensation Survey"[6]- Directors of Pharmacy $125,200
- Retail Staff Pharmacists $113,600
- Hospital Staff Pharmacists $111,700
- Mail Order Staff Pharmacists $109,300
- Clinical Pharmacists $113,400
Median annual wages of wage and salary pharmacists in May 2008 were $106,410. The middle 50 percent earned between $92,670 and $121,310 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $77,390, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $131,440 a year.
Australia
Wages for pharmacists in Australia appear to have stagnated [7]. The award wages for a pharmacist is $812 a week [8]. Pharmacist graduates are the lowest paid university graduates most years. Most pharmacists do earn above award wages, with the average male pharmacist earns $65,000, a female pharmacist averages $56,500 [9]. Over recent years, wages have stagnated, and even gone backwards[10] . This is due to the large numbers of pharmacy graduates in recent years, and government desire to lower PBS costs [11]. Contract and casual work is becoming more common [12]. A contract pharmacist is self-employed and often called a locum; these pharmacists may be hired for one shift or for a longer period of time. There are accounts of underemployment and unemployment emerging recently [13].
[edit] Specialties
[edit] Practice specialization
Specialties include:- Academic pharmacist
- Clinical pharmacist (consisting of many subspecialties such as critical care, nephrology, cardiology, pediatrics, geriatrics, toxicology, etc.)
- Community pharmacist
- Compounding pharmacist
- Consultant pharmacist
- Drug information pharmacist
- Home Health pharmacist
- Hospital pharmacist
- Industrial pharmacist
- Informatics pharmacist
- Locum Pharmacist
- Military Pharmacist
- Nuclear Pharmacist
- Oncology Pharmacist
- Regulatory-affairs pharmacist
- Veterinary pharmacist
- Pharmacist Clinical Pathologist
[edit] Speciality practice accreditation
[edit] Australia
In Australia, accreditation exists only for certain specialties and is provided by professional bodies for the following:- Consultant Pharmacist (AACPA), by the Australian Association of Consultant Pharmacy (AACP)
- Certified Geriatric Pharmacist (CGP), by the Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy in conjunction with the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia [1]
[edit] France
[edit] Portugal
In Portugal a pharmacist can become certified in recognized professional specialty practice areas by passing an examination administered by the Order of Pharmacists. The Order of Pharmacists certifies pharmacists in five specialties:[edit] Spain
In Spain a pharmacist can become certified in recognized professional specialty practice areas by passing an examination in addition to spent two to four years of residency period in accredited hospital services and/or academic departments. The Minister of Health certifies pharmacists in eight specialties:- Hospital pharmacy after four years residency period
- Industrial Pharmacy after two years residency period
- Pharmaceutical Analysis after two years residency period
- Clinical Analysis after four years residency period
- Nuclear Pharmacy after two years residency period
- Other specialities include Clinical Microbiology, Biochemistry and Inmunology
[edit] United States
In the United States, a pharmacist can become certified in recognized specialty practice areas by passing an examination administered by one of several credentialing boards.- The Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties[14] certifies pharmacists in six specialties:
- Ambulatory Care pharmacy (starting 2011)
- Nuclear pharmacy
- Nutrition support pharmacy
- Oncology pharmacy
- Pharmacotherapy, which has two subspecialties:
- Psychiatric pharmacy
- The Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy certifies pharmacists in geriatrics specialty practice.
- The American Board of Applied Toxicology[15] certifies pharmacists and other medical professionals in applied toxicology.
[edit] See also
Wikiversity has learning materials about Pharmacy |
- Apothecary
- Chemist
- Classification of Pharmaco-Therapeutic Referrals
- Dispensing chemist
- List of pharmacists
- List of pharmacy associations
- List of pharmacy schools
- Pharmaconomist
- Pharmacy
- Pharmacy Automation - The Tablet Counter
- Pharmacy technician
- Resident in pharmacy
[edit] References
- ^ Titsingh, Isaac. (1834) Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 434.
- ^ Pharmacist prescribing RPSGB.org
- ^ Cipolle RJ, Strand LM, Morley PC. Pharmaceutical care practice. 2nd ed. Toronto: McGraw-Hill; 2004.
- ^ Definition of chemist on Dictionary.com retrieved 2008 December 28.
- ^ "The History of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society". Museum of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. http://www.rpsgb.org/pdfs/mussheethistrpsgb.pdf. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
- ^ 2010 Pharmacy Compensation Survey - Spring Edition PharmacyOneSource.com
- ^ http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/article/pressure-on-pharmacists-wages-a-global-trend/503997.aspx Pressure on pharmacists wages
- ^ http://beta.guild.org.au/uploadedfiles/wa_branch/services_to_members/pharmacists%20wage%20rates%2021.07.05.pdf Pharmacist Wage Rates
- ^ http://www.psa.org.au/site.php?id=121 PSA article
- ^ http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/article/pressure-on-pharmacists-wages-a-global-trend/503997.aspx Pressure on Pharmacists wages a global trend
- ^ http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/article/Slow-start-to-pay-race/520873.aspx Slow start to pay race
- ^ http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/article/Slow-start-to-pay-race/520873.aspx Slow start to pay race
- ^ http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/article/Hospital-pharmacy-jobs-under-threat/524670.aspx Hospital pharmacy jobs under threat
- ^ Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties
- ^ ABAT Certification Examination Credentialing Information
- (Japanese) Asai,T. (1985). Nyokan Tūkai. Tokyo: Kōdan-Sha.
- (French) Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652], Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland....Click link for digitized, full-text copy of this book (in French)
[edit] External links
- Association of Community Pharmacists of India (ACPI)
- Pharmacy council of India (PCI)
- Pharmacy at the Open Directory Project
- International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
- RPSGB Veterinary Pharmacist Education Programme (VPEP)
- International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF)
- Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
- Bangladeshi Pharmacist Association (BDPHARM)
- Canadian pharmacy technicians (rxpt.ca)
- Canadian Pharmacist Journal
- United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA)