Page 15 - Pharmacy careers guide

EDuCATIoN
• Provides education and training on pharmaceutical knowledge in the health facility
• Acts as a preceptor for intern pharmacists, supervisor for student placements and mentor for pharmacy technicians
• Creates teaching resources and organises education sessions for other healthcare professionals and patient groups
• Specialised positions are possible through further study and training for instance
in asthma or diabetes disease state management
EMERGENCy MEDICINE
• Maintains continual pharmaceutical care for patients in the emergency department and those discharged back into the community
• Conducts clinical interventions by reviewing the documented medication history taken prior to admission and up until discharge from the hospital
• Identifies drug-related problems and provides clinical advice to the healthcare team to resolve issues
• Educates patients regarding new medication regimens and provides information to carers
MEDICATIoN SAFETy/ PHARMACovIGIlANCE
• Regulates the practice of protocols to reduce the risk of medication dispensing errors and prevent harm from adverse events due to poor medicine management
• Reports and reviews systems of monitoring by identifying risks in the workplace and initiating programs to improve safety of medicine use
• Educates other healthcare professionals on strategies to ensure safe use of medicines
MEDICINES DISTRIBuTIoN
• Procures stock and supplies medicines to other departments within the healthcare facility
• Maintains accurate stock records to ensure adequate amounts of medication are available for distribution when required, including after-hours
• Promotes QUM by requisition to avoid wastage of unused medicine
• Utilises systems to supply medications for multiple comorbidities such as daily dose and individual patient cards (dose administration aids)
MEDICINES INFoRMATIoN
• Has high pharmaceutical knowledge
and is up-to-date with research in novel therapeutics and off-label prescribing of medicines for indications that have not been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
• Researches and evaluates published medical literature to respond to enquiries from patients and other healthcare professionals
• Provides clinical advice on special populations and discusses the best options for therapeutic treatment with other members of the healthcare team
MENTAl HEAlTH
• Has broad knowledge of psychiatric disorders and ensures pharmacotherapy is appropriate and safe for patients with mental illness
• Communicates medicine information through counselling to the patient and their carer
• May be involved in publication of material regarding the use of psychotropic medicines
NuClEAR/RADIoPHARMACy
• Responsible for the quality control of chemicals used, including the disposal of radioactive waste materials
• Prepares radiopharmaceutical agents • Maintains meticulous records
oNColoGy
• Reviews patient health history and status to design pharmaceutical care plans with specialty doctors
• Documents and communicates relevant literature evidence to recommend appropriate medications
• Checks relevant laboratory measurements and uses protocols for reference and dose adjustment calculations
ouTPATIENT
• Reviews medication for patients attending outpatient clinics and at discharge from the hospital
• Ensures treatment is appropriate and safe with adequate supply of medications
• Counsels patients and carers on the necessary medication management such as adherence, storage and disposal
PAllIATIvE CARE
• Focuses on improving the patient’s Quality of Life (QoL) through the prevention and relief of suffering
• Cares for patients with a life-threatening illness or incurable malignancies such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and end-stage organ failure
• Collaborates with other healthcare professionals in a multidisciplinary team to create individualised healthcare plan involving use of analgesics and medicines for off-label indications
PoISoN INFoRMATIoN
• Provides assessment of patients exposed to various toxins and advice on simple treatment in the home or referral to a Health Care Facility
• Advises other health professionals on the management and prognosis of poisonings.
• Answers simple drug information questions
• Utilises and contributes to the development of a range of drug and poisons information resources and management guidelines
For additional information on training courses please refer to Further study opportunities on page 40 of this Guide.
FuRTHER STuDy
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Master of Clinical Epidemiology
• Master of Health Communication
• Master of Health Management
• Master of Philosophy
• Master of Public Health
• Master of Radiopharmaceutical
Science
FoR MoRE INFoRMATIoN
Health Services Union (HSU)
www.hsu.asn.au
Justice & Forensic Mental Health Network www.justicehealth.nsw.gov.au
NSW Health Government
www.health.nsw.gov.au
SHPA
www.shpa.org.au
Pharmacy careers guide I ©Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Ltd. 15