Medication Safety and Dispensing Practices

Prescription Interpretation

• Verify the date of prescription against the number of days the medication is prescribed for.
• The date of the prescription should be recent, and the number of days prescribed should match the date.
• Prescription must be legible to avoid medication errors.
• Use of electronic prescriptions can improve readability and reduce medication errors.
• Check for completeness of the prescription. Ensure elements like dosage form, patient age, duration, and quantity of drug are present.

Dispensing Process

• Pharmacy assistants can dispense medications under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.
• A report of any dispensed medication should be made to the supervising pharmacist within 24 hours.
• Drugstores should maintain a prescription logbook to track all prescriptions dispensed.

Communication Skills

• Active listening is crucial in patient interactions. It involves:
  • Paying attention
  • Maintaining eye contact
  • Asking targeted questions
  • Repeating information back to the patient
  • Mentally summarizing what the patient said
• Barriers to verbal communication in pharmacy settings can include:
  • Physical barriers like grills and bars between the pharmacist and patient
  • Lack of privacy in the dispensing area

Role of the Pharmacist

• Pharmacists have a crucial role in patient-centered care, going beyond medication compounding and dispensing.
• Pharmacists need to have updated clinical training, good credentials, and a clear understanding of their role in a healthcare team.
• Building trust and improving patients' perceptions of pharmacists is essential.
• Pharmacists can play a significant role in managing patients' medications, especially for conditions like diabetes and Asthma.

Collaboration with Other Healthcare Professionals

• Collaboration between pharmacists and other healthcare professionals is crucial, but clear professional role definitions are needed.
• Pharmacists should not overstep their professional boundaries.
• Effective communication with other healthcare professionals is essential to improve patient care.

Pharmacist’s Role in COVID-19 Pandemic

• Pharmacists need to provide patients with the most up-to-date information and correct misinformation regarding COVID-19 prevention and management.
• Due to the rapid evolution of COVID-19 treatment guidelines, pharmacists need to be alert to changes and updates.
• Pharmacist's role in COVID-19 management includes:
  • Providing accurate information
  • Educating patients on prevention and treatment
  • Addressing patient concerns about potential side effects
  • Improving medication adherence
• Understanding potential side effects of COVID-19 related medication is vital:
  • Salbutamol, a beta agonist used in some cases, can cause palpitations through hypokalemia.
  • Metformin, commonly used for diabetes, can cause gastric irritation and lactic acidosis.

This quiz covers essential practices for interpreting prescriptions, including verifying dates, legibility, and completeness. It also discusses the dispensing process, roles of pharmacy assistants, and the importance of communication skills in patient interactions. Test your knowledge on how to ensure medication safety in a pharmacy setting.