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5 tips for handling personnel issues in the pharmacy
Jason Poquette Pharmaceutical"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Those opening lines of Charles Dickens' classic novel "A Tale of Two Cities" may serve as a commentary on life as a pharmacy manager as well. For some, this career path is the best of times. It offers new opportunities to learn and grow and develop skills beyond traditional medication counseling and dispensing. For others — depending on your setting, skills and personality — it may also turn out to be the worst of times, with piles of paperwork, time-consuming training, unreasonable demands and unexpected responsibilities.
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Studies find more reasons to be cautious of popular heartburn drugs
Cait Harrison Medical & Allied HealthcareIt hasn't been a good year so far for the popular heartburn drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Two recent studies have linked them to potentially dangerous side effects, including chronic kidney disease and dementia.
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Public health in an era of personalized medicine
Dr. Robert Carter Healthcare AdministrationCollectively, the clinical medicine and public health communities have demonstrated to governments and their populations that public health programs and interventions are critical to reducing infectious and chronic diseases.
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Drug treatment reduces risk of skin cancer in transplant patients
Chelsea Adams Medical & Allied HealthcareIt is well documented that solid organ transplant recipients (OTRs) are at greater risk of developing skin cancer following transplant surgery. However, a new study conducted by Harvard Medical School researchers found that an immunosuppressive drug lowers the risk of subsequent skin cancer following an initial post-transplant cancer diagnosis.
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How pharmacists can help FDA initiative to curb opioid abuse
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalOver the years, the prevalence of prescription drug abuse has become an increasingly apparent issue — one that both the medical and nonmedical community cannot ignore given its visible impact. Opioids are one of the most commonly abused agents because they cause the release of dopamine to achieve a pleasurable effect. As a result, clinicians have a difficult time determining whether patients are seeking out these drugs for valid reasons or are highly addicted to these agents. It is ultimately up to prescribers to make this decision when patients come into their office.
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Leap into leadership with nurses on boards
Joan Spitrey Healthcare AdministrationIn late 2014, 19 nursing organizations were convened in a collaborative effort with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and AARP to "increase nurses' presence on corporate and nonprofit health-related boards of directors throughout the county." The goal was to bring front-line knowledge of healthcare to the critical decision-making arenas. Nurses have a unique skill set that allows them to be key stakeholders and decision makers, given the opportunity.
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Medical plastics packaging trends keep expanding
Don Rosato EngineeringIn terms of the future, experts say medical packaging will be dramatically different by the end of the next decade. Medical device and pharmaceutical packaging will become easier to use, less costly to produce and provide much better protection in the future.
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Dispensing Zika virus information to patients in the pharmacy
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalToday's pharmacists dispense a lot more than medication. And with growing concern regarding the spread and significance of Zika virus, pharmacists are well positioned to help counsel the public by answering questions about this sometimes-deadly infection.
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Working to minimize drug diversion
Dr. Abimbola Farinde PharmaceuticalThe issue of drug diversion — the illegal theft of controlled drugs — continues to increase at an alarming rate across the U.S. A complex and multifaceted problem, drug diversion must be addressed before it reaches epic proportions. The current dilemma for healthcare officials is how to implement the right practices across a wide variety of locations for many years to come.
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The privileges and challenges of being a pharmacy preceptor
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalIt doesn't seem that long ago that I was a pharmacy student. But actually it was a long time ago, as I graduated the same year Claritin was first introduced to the prescription drug market (you can look it up if you want). I guess time flies when you're having fun. Nevertheless, I can still remember the fears and excitement of going on pharmacy rotations and learning new things, which would eventually enhance my career as a pharmacist.
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