Reflection on Pharmacy

To ring in the New Year I thought I would comment on something that has always amazed me since I learned it way back at the beginning of pharmacy school. The profession of pharmacy has come  a long  way in a short time. In school I learned that the pharmacy code of ethics from the 1950s specifically directed pharmacists to never talk to the patients about the drug or what it is used for  or any side effects, etc. Pharmacists could only direct patients back to the doctors prescribing these drugs. Now counter that with our daily activities only 50 years later: our primary task is to counsel patients and inform them all about their medications. It amazes me how short of a time frame it took to make a complete turn in our profession. And we are still changing...

Just yesterday I was able to precent an overdose in a 3 year old. It's not hard and it takes just  a few moments to double check someone else's math. It turns out that it was very important this time. My calculations gave a dose of 3/4 tsp on an antibiotic. The doctor wrote for 2 tsp. And I know that mistakes happen, it's not hard to omit a step. But some doctors can never admit to having made a mistake. When I called in this instance and simply stated that by my calculations I got  a different dose and wanted to confirm dosing, the doctor shortly said that should have been 1 tsp. 

And pharmacists don't get recognized for doing these activities. There is no reimbursement, no payment, and often no recognition or thanks. We just do it because it is the right thing to do. And hope that it proves our usefulness so we don't get replaced by robots.

Ok that brings you up to speed on my thoughts on the pharmacy profession.