Day In The Life Of A Pharmacist (Pharmacist In Hospitals)


Pharmacists play a vital role in helping people stay healthy. They work with doctors, nurses and other health professionals to ensure patients receive the correct medication and dosage. Pharmacists also provide advice on the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications. They are highly trained professionals who make a real difference in people’s lives!

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a question that many children ask themselves at some point during their childhoods; we imagine what our future careers will be like, how much money they’ll bring us, or what kind of social life they might offer. But for those who don’t know exactly where they want to go or what profession would suit them best, there are plenty of options out there. Among these options is the field of pharmacy. Pharmacists are vital members of the healthcare community who help patients manage their health conditions by giving them the correct medications and following up to see if they are having any effects, side effects or allergic reactions to whatever medicine they have been prescribed.

A pharmacist has a great deal of responsibility on their shoulders, as they are responsible for selecting and dispensing medications. They also need to make accurate entries in a patient’s record of treatments and their response to those treatments. Pharmacists must maintain the highest level of confidentiality regarding what is written down as well as what medications are dispensed.

The work environment of a pharmacist varies from place to place. For example, pharmacies that are attached to hospitals are not open for as long as those located in shopping centers. A pharmacist may work with one particular doctor or a whole team of doctors to dispense medication prescriptions. This depends on the size of the pharmacy and what each individual pharmacist finds most comfortable.

What does a day in the life of a pharmacist look like? Well, for one thing it does not involve sitting behind the counter reading magazines all day. Pharmacists are on their feet constantly during their shifts, whether that means moving around to help patients or to work with doctors behind closed doors. A pharmacist may spend some time in between patient visits taking care of administrative duties, such as paperwork for prescription refills or entering information into the computer. Pharmacists must be well-versed in computers, actually, because they spend a lot of time using them to manage patients’ files and reports.

A pharmacist’s day typically begins before any other physicians or nurses are even there. They may be at work bright and early at 7:00 a.m. to make sure everything is in order and ready to go, or they may even come in later, but it’s always best to show up early if you want to get the most done and impress your boss! Then the real day begins…

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Different Types Of Pharmacist

There are many different types of pharmacist jobs available. Pharmacists can specialize in different areas, such as community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, managed care pharmacy, nuclear pharmacy and compounding pharmacy. Community pharmacists work in retail settings, such as pharmacies located in grocery stores or drugstores. They dispense medications and provide information and advice to patients about their use. Hospital pharmacists work in the pharmacy departments of hospitals. They prepare and dispense medications for patients admitted to the hospital, provide medication therapy management services, and consult with doctors and other healthcare professionals about patient care. Managed care pharmacists work for insurance companies, drug manufacturers, and other health-related organizations. They develop and manage drug formularies, advise on medication utilization, review patient records to ensure medication regimens are appropriate for each patient, and consult with physicians regarding medication use.

Compounding pharmacists create personalized medications prescribed by a physician for a specific patient who cannot take commercially available medications. They also compound sterile products for patients who require specialized drugs that are not commercially available. Nuclear pharmacists provide radioactive materials used in nuclear medicine procedures. They provide information to patients, their families and the public about the safe handling of radioactive materials used in diagnostic imaging procedures.

Today we will be going into detail mainly about a day in the life of a hospital pharmacist.

Responsibilities Of A Pharmacist

There are many responsibilities of a pharmacist. Pharmacists are responsible for the safe and effective use of medications. This includes reviewing a patient’s medication history, ensuring that all medications are prescribed and dispensed properly, and providing patients with information on the proper use of their medications. Pharmacists also provide medication therapy management services, which includes developing and implementing drug regimens, monitoring patient progress, and making changes to the drug regimen as needed. They may also consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals about patient care.

In a hospital setting, the pharmacist is responsible for overseeing safety and quality when it comes to administering medications. This includes making sure that staff receive appropriate training on compounding and administering sterile products, observing all medication administration activities in the medication distribution area, reviewing records of patient allergies and medication reactions, maintaining current information about drug interactions and side effects in a hospital drug reference guide (called the “H”) and verifying that all patients receive appropriate medications.

The pharmacist is also responsible for getting all of the necessary supplies to make sure every patient has the medication they need. They order, receive, check in, stock and prepare medication trays; ensure that medications are stored properly; maintain an accurate inventory of medications; and maintain an equipment log.

In addition, pharmacists work with patients and other healthcare team members to create a plan for medication therapy using the principles of evidence-based practice. They review patients’ medical histories and current medications to determine drug interactions, then design regimens that will provide optimal benefits while minimizing risks.

Pharmacists Role In Healthcare

Pharmacists play an important role in helping patients manage their health. They work with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to ensure that patients receive the correct medication and dosage. Pharmacists also provide advice on the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications. They are highly trained professionals who make a real difference in people’s lives!

Today we will be going into detail mainly about a day in the life of a hospital pharmacist. There are many responsibilities of a pharmacist. Pharmacists are responsible for the safe and effective use of medications. This includes reviewing a patient’s medication history, ensuring that all medications are prescribed and dispensed properly, and providing patients with information on the proper use of their medications. Pharmacists also provide medication therapy management services, which includes developing and implementing drug regimens, monitoring patient progress, and making changes to the drug regimen as needed. They may also consult with physicians and other healthcare professionals about patient care.

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Why Choose Pharmacy?

There is no doubt that pharmacy is a diverse and rewarding career with numerous opportunities in the market. Pharmacists work in a myriad of professional settings and play a pivotal role in helping the patient. Pharmacists are medical specialists so patients feel better and more confident when they are part of the healthcare team. Pharmacists directly deal with patients and in this way, they develop an emotional connection with each patient they care for. Patients become their families and always reach out to pharmacists whenever they have any trouble.

According to recent Gallup Polls, pharmacists’ honesty and ethics were rated as “high” or “very high” by a large majority of Americans. Pharmacists are visible leaders in society who are entrusted with the health of the people.

Choose pharmacy as a career because pharmacists are the savior of lives. They are competent healthcare providers who interact effectively to evaluate some important factors that affect’s a patient’s ability to take medicines. One of the highlights of the pharmacy profession is the growth of a discipline, known as pharmacogenomics. Pharmacists and other healthcare providers will be able to use that information to select the best medicines, treat diseases earlier than now possible, or prevent them entirely with individually tailored drug therapies. For these and many other reasons one should choose pharmacy as a career.

What Type Of Pharmacist Is A Hospital Pharmacist?

Hospital pharmacists usually work in a hospital setting and collaborate with other professionals like clinicians to formulate the most effective treatment plan by considering the specific needs of the patients. Moreover, their job is also to design product specifications according to the hospital formulary and is also a member of various committees constituted for procurement of therapeutic drugs. The hospital pharmacist is also responsible for inventory management, record keeping, physical verification of the incoming stock, and expiry of medicines. Sometimes, they also interact with patients and offer explanations regarding their treatment plans.

Hospital pharmacist works in close vicinity with nurses and doctors and works as a team in improving the patient’s health. They manage the paperwork of the hospital pharmacy by keeping a record of the inventory, expired medication, incoming stock, etc. Being a hospital pharmacist is not an easy job because you have to be on your toes all the time because you are dealing with some sensitive issues which involve patients life.

What Different Careers Can You Have As A Hospital Pharmacist?

One big thought that comes to mind while not being working as a hospital pharmacist is what careers we can opt for. Well, no worries then. A number of careers are available in hospitals’ different departments which offer opportunities for direct patient care. Most commonly these are:

  • Community Pharmacist: A community pharmacist’s job is to help the patients with the correct and safe supply of medicines, the pharmacist is also involved in maintaining and improving people’s health by providing advice information on the use of medicine.
  • Oncology Pharmacist: Pharmacists in the oncology department get engaged with all cancer patients. They are involved in chemotherapy preparation, checking safety and counseling of patients about side effects as well.
  • Nutraceutical Pharmacist: Pharmacists in the field of nutraceuticals help’s in choosing the best and most effective supplements for the consumer. Help’s in taking indications
  • Compounding Pharmacist: A compounding pharmacist is usually involved in extemporaneous preparations according to the prescription prepared by the practitioner.
  • Outpatient Pharmacist: an outpatient pharmacist works in a hospital network and performs the tasks of Prescription refills of New and Old Patients who visit a Clinic or a Hospital OPD.

There are tons of other specialty areas where hospital pharmacists can advance their careers.

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Why Do Pharmacists Love Their Hospital Jobs?

There are numerous reasons to love a hospital job. The primary reason is patient-pharmacist interaction. In retail or any other setup, pharmacists may not be able to interact with patients on a personal level but in a hospital setting, a pharmacist can take ward rounds and interact with patients. Pharmacists counsel patients on how they can achieve optimum results put of their therapy, they explain to patients about the treatment they are undergoing and this way patient feels secure and relaxed because they know that they are in safe hands. This trust makes a pharmacist love his hospital job. Not only this but seeing people recovering and going home happily just because you took care of them is a win-win situation for a hospital pharmacist. There may come tons of challenges in the everyday life of hospital pharmacists but these challenges cannot make a pharmacist hate their job.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Working As A Hospital Pharmacist?

Pros of working as a hospital pharmacist:

There are many pros of working as a hospital pharmacist which overpowers the cons. Here are the pros:

Less Patient Interaction: Few people prefer dealing with people but some prefer not to, it depends upon the person’s own perspective. Being a hospital pharmacist you have limited contact with the patients so it can be an advantage for some but not for those who like dealing and working with a great number of people.

Excellent Skills: Dealing with complex medications and dose calculations is not an easy task. More skills and technical expertise are required. Hospital pharmacist flourishes in his field through training, the more you work the more you get grip on sterile preparations, lab values interpretation, dose calculations and medical notes which you happen to encounter in hospital pharmacy only.

No Long Working hours: Unlike industrial pharmacists, a hospital pharmacist works for shorter hours. A hospital Pharmacist can work part-time because of short duty hours. Being a hospital pharmacist, you will have a lot of time to carry out other important stuff alongside your job.

Cons of working as a hospital pharmacist:

With pros, the career of hospital pharmacy has some cons as well.

No Room for Errors: If you opt to be a hospital pharmacist, the place of making a tiny error has zero existence. There is no margin left for making any mistake. A person has to be present mentally and physically while being on his duty. Miscalculation of a dose can cause someone his/her life.

Competition: Hospital Pharmacy has a big competition. Many people wish to be a part of it. good salary package, flexible job hours, no Patient interactions, working with medical professions, use of their skills can be a great deal and a dream to achieve for many freshly and old graduated Pharmacists.

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What Does A Typical Workday Entail For A Hospital Pharmacist?

Pharmacists have to be punctual and should report to work on time. For example, if I share my day with you people. I report to work at 8 am sharp and I start my typical day at the hospital by reviewing the medication regimens of the patients. After I am done reviewing, I meet with other healthcare staff and we make plans for the patients for the day which includes, their medications, diet, exercise, walk time, etc. Being a senior pharmacist, I am also in charge of training interns or new hires. After this, I take a quick tea or coffee break and then I go on ward rounds with nurses. I meet with ICU patients, look at their files, check their adherence to the medication and then guide them if there is something important. Every Monday, we have team meetings where we pick up a critical ICU case and present our opinions on how we can improve the health of the patients by changing the treatment plan or by adding adjunct therapies.

After all this, I sit with physicians and check OPD patients. Then comes the lunch break and I always prefer eating with my teammates. After lunch, I see my calendar and if I have any presentation due during the week then I work on that and then I log off from work and commute back to home.

What Can Be The Most Challenging Days For A Hospital Pharmacist?

A hospital Pharmacist has to wrestle with day-to-day challenges. Most challenging days are the ones when things don’t go as expected. Sometimes a hospital pharmacist puts too much effort and results obtained are not as per his expectations. Decisions regarding Medication made by them on best knowledge and information they have turn out not to be in favor of Patient and Patient have a bad outcome. Though in a hospital setting, every day is a challenging day because the schedule is not planned, and any emergency can come up with has to be tackled immediately. So, a pharmacist should be prepared all the time to deal with such unannounced challenges.

Why Can It Be So Attractive To Become A Hospital Pharmacist?

Pharmacists are a part of the health care system. The key role of the pharmacist is to help patients get better by helping them with their medication. Patient Satisfaction is a pharmacist’s top priority. A pharmacist works ‘efficiently and effectively’ to evaluate factors that are responsible for affecting a patient’s ability to take medication.

There are a number of reasons that attract a person to be a Hospital Pharmacist. Especially a person who wants to be an important member of the health care team, becoming a hospital Pharmacist is the best decision to be made. A number of studies show that the presence of hospital pharmacists during clinical and ICT rounds can eliminate medication errors.

Collaboration between Hospital Pharmacists and Medical Practitioners helps in ensuring safe and Proper medication use by the Patients and avoidance of any Harmful effects and events related to wrong medication. Improvement in technical skills, major innovations in medication therapy is all part of the perks of being a hospital pharmacist. Hospital pharmacist has job mobility, flexibility and stability. Allowing him to earn in good numbers and can work part-time as well because of easy job hours.

As a hospital pharmacist, you are taken as a respected member of the community. Hospital Pharmacists are visible leaders in a community who are trusted by patients and their families

What Advice Is There For A Future Pharmacy Just Starting School?

Pharmacy is an evolving and developing career. People may scare you that there are no proper careers or jobs available for a pharmacist, but this is all hoax. So, all those newcomers or pharmacy aspirants should not pay heed to this false or fake information and should stay focused on their goals. Newcomers are the future, and their aim is to save the lives of a patient by preparing and dispensing the right medicine to the right patient.

Future pharmacists should stay focused during their entire program, understand everything they are being taught, ask questions on the spot if something is not clear, should not cram and above all prefer studying in groups. Pharmacy is all about understanding rather than cramming. Anybody who wishes to score well in their exams needs to understand the concept behind everything. If your concepts are clear, it means you understand everything. The heavy course load may intimidate new students but with proper time management and assistance, everything goes smoothly.

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What Do You Think Is The Biggest Misconception About Being A Pharmacist?

The biggest misconception about being a pharmacist is that there are a limited number of job opportunities out there in the market. In the continuously changing environment, pharmacists may have unique career paths but there are unlimited job opportunities out there. It is important to notice that this field is ever-changing and new opportunities constantly appear. Pharmacists which are the experts of medicine, the healthcare industry is creating new opportunities and unique routes for pharmacists. A relevant degree allows you to pursue a plethora of career pathways where you can operate outside of the more “traditional” community pharmacies. If you’re interested in pharmacy, you won’t be bored. A day’s work as a pharmacist is challenging, however, many reports being happy knowing that their actions directly impact those around them.

Another misconception about pharmacists is that they do not interact with patients, or they do not have the right t prescribe medicines. Well in most of the OTC cases, a pharmacist is present at the pharmacy and is in charge of prescribing and dispensing medicine to the customer.

Final Thoughts

Pharmacists play an essential role in the healthcare system. They work with doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to ensure that patients receive the correct medication and dosage. Pharmacists also provide advice on the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications. They are highly trained professionals who make a real difference in people’s lives!

Danielle Winner

Hello my name is Danielle Winner. Welcome to my site on Pharmacy School and tips and tricks to hopefully help you get in. It's not easy but hopefully you can learn to not make mistakes that students (myself included) make. Good luck on your journey. I graduated from Albany School of Pharmacy in May 2010 and have had a few different jobs across the east coast of the U.S.

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