The value of pharmacists

[Adelaide]

As many people may recognize, medical providers working in a busy emergency department may not have the time to devote to confirming recent medication lists, especially with patients with extensive numbers of medications. The pharmacists in this study often devoted up to 15 minutes to verify correct medications, dosages and perform “medical reconciliation”, as we often refer to it. This is a valuable and useful service for medical providers who practice in busy emergency departments.

According to the abstract, there were 1,750 discrepancies identified among 185 patients, for an average of 9.5 discrepancies per patient before the pharmacy intervention. The most common discrepancy, in 55%, was missing information about the last date and time a medication was taken. Other medication errors also were identified, such as incomplete orders in 18%, incorrect orders in 13%, omissions in 11%, and small numbers of duplications and discontinuations.

Can Pharmacists in the ED help to reduce medication errors? (http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2012/12/10/can-pharmacists-in-the-er-help-to-reduce-medication-errors/)

A lot of people in my life come to me for medical advice because of my educational and employment background, and a surprising amount do not realise they can ask their pharmacist questions and that pharmacists are generally a better resource for questions related to medication than their actual doctor. In addition, because of my background, I can agree with the article that there are a shocking amount of errors by ED doctors when it comes to prescribing medication, and some of those errors are extremely serious. For example, giving sulfa drugs to someone with an allergy.

Recently, my province gave the go ahead for pharmacists to start giving flu shots which I think is a great idea and a great way to reduce the amount of people having to clog up urgent care clinics for flu shots. I think they should expand the program to include other vaccinations.

[oceanloverOH]

Can Pharmacists in the ED help to reduce medication errors? (http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2012/12/10/can-pharmacists-in-the-er-help-to-reduce-medication-errors/)

A lot of people in my life come to me for medical advice because of my educational and employment background, and a surprising amount do not realise they can ask their pharmacist questions and that pharmacists are generally a better resource for questions related to medication than their actual doctor. In addition, because of my background, I can agree with the article that there are a shocking amount of errors by ED doctors when it comes to prescribing medication, and some of those errors are extremely serious. For example, giving sulfa drugs to someone with an allergy.

Recently, my province gave the go ahead for pharmacists to start giving flu shots which I think is a great idea and a great way to reduce the amount of people having to clog up urgent care clinics for flu shots. I think they should expand the program to include other vaccinations.

My daughter-in-law is a certified pharmaceutical technician with 10 years experience. She is an invaluable resource for the patients utilizing her pharmacy. Though she doesn't have a pharmaceutical degree and can't prescribe, she has tons of information available to her via computer for drug interactions, etc. Just a simple "try giving your child this medicine in applesauce because it has a bitter taste" can make all the difference to a parent trying to get medication into a sick child at 3.a.m.

I agree that something as simple as a flu shot can certainly be given by a pharmacist....I've been getting my flu shot at my local grocery store pharmacy for years. Wow....the U.S. is ahead on Canada on a medication? Every time I want a med, even OTC, it's only available in Canada. I have to get a B-12 shot every month because my body can't store and utilize the vitamin properly. If I could inject myself in the butt, I could just get a script for the syringes and the B-12 preparation....but I can't reach the right location comfortably and hubby says NO WAY will he attempt to inject me. There are a lot of older people with my problem....seems to me that a monthly shot that you have to take forever would be a good candidate for pharmacist injection, rather than going to a Dr.'s office and sitting in a waiting room with a bunch of sick people!

[Adelaide]

My daughter-in-law is a certified pharmaceutical technician with 10 years experience. She is an invaluable resource for the patients utilizing her pharmacy. Though she doesn't have a pharmaceutical degree and can't prescribe, she has tons of information available to her via computer for drug interactions, etc. Just a simple "try giving your child this medicine in applesauce because it has a bitter taste" can make all the difference to a parent trying to get medication into a sick child at 3.a.m.

I agree that something as simple as a flu shot can certainly be given by a pharmacist....I've been getting my flu shot at my local grocery store pharmacy for years. Wow....the U.S. is ahead on Canada on a medication? Every time I want a med, even OTC, it's only available in Canada. I have to get a B-12 shot every month because my body can't store and utilize the vitamin properly. If I could inject myself in the butt, I could just get a script for the syringes and the B-12 preparation....but I can't reach the right location comfortably and hubby says NO WAY will he attempt to inject me. There are a lot of older people with my problem....seems to me that a monthly shot that you have to take forever would be a good candidate for pharmacist injection, rather than going to a Dr.'s office and sitting in a waiting room with a bunch of sick people!

They're definitely experts at anything to do with medication. I had a very painful dental procedure done and I went in looking to buy Tylenol w/ Codeine (the over-the-counter version here in Canada), and the pharmacist said that short-term I could mix it with Ibuprofen, 2 hours apart, for the best pain relief. I would never have even thought about mixing pain medications, (in fact I would have assumed it dangerous), but I trust my pharmacist so I tried. Oh my god... better than a prescription pain medication.

Pharmacists are very underappreciated in Ontario. I go to a very small family pharmacy and my pharmacist is constantly complaining about how the province is ruining his business. Nicest guy ever, so I choose to go to him and pay the extra dispense fee instead of going with an impersonal, large corporation, (such as Shoppers Drugmart). We may be much more liberal in terms of medication and what is available, but pharmacists and also nurses are underappreciated. It's a bit like physicians want to keep all the responsibility to avoid being irrelevant, even for minor things.

[roadmaster]

pharmacists and also nurses are underappreciated Yes they are but not by me.

[KC]

Can Pharmacists in the ED help to reduce medication errors? (http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertglatter/2012/12/10/can-pharmacists-in-the-er-help-to-reduce-medication-errors/)

A lot of people in my life come to me for medical advice because of my educational and employment background, and a surprising amount do not realise they can ask their pharmacist questions and that pharmacists are generally a better resource for questions related to medication than their actual doctor. In addition, because of my background, I can agree with the article that there are a shocking amount of errors by ED doctors when it comes to prescribing medication, and some of those errors are extremely serious. For example, giving sulfa drugs to someone with an allergy.

Recently, my province gave the go ahead for pharmacists to start giving flu shots which I think is a great idea and a great way to reduce the amount of people having to clog up urgent care clinics for flu shots. I think they should expand the program to include other vaccinations.

I think letting them give shots is a great idea. They're qualified medical professionals, so versatility will only make pharmacists more marketable and in theory would drive down costs for shots.

[roadmaster]

I think letting them give shots is a great idea. They're qualified medical professionals, so versatility will only make pharmacists more marketable and in theory would drive down costs for shots.
It is a requirement now if you work around the sick to take this shot. The last two years I had to and had not gotten the flu for many years since I was young. This year after the shot, I got the flu.

[Peter1469]

It is a requirement now if you work around the sick to take this shot. The last two years I had to and had not gotten the flu for many years since I was young. This year after the shot, I got the flu.

Flu shots don't have a good track record. They tend to fight the last flu strain (like generals are wars....).

[KC]

Flu shots don't have a good track record. They tend to fight the last flu strain (like generals are wars....).

Right. They work similar to pesticides, where a sort of artificial selection ends up determining what mutations survive and which don't.

[Adelaide]

It is a requirement now if you work around the sick to take this shot. The last two years I had to and had not gotten the flu for many years since I was young. This year after the shot, I got the flu.

I've only ever had swine flu (my freakin' luck), so even though I work in healthcare they don't really enforce that I personally get the shot. They would probably prefer it if I did, but since I'm technically administration they sort of ignore it. Given that I no longer interact directly with many clients, I just practice good hygiene which I would do regardless.

They do enforce the TB tests, of course, among other things. Unfortunately we're often exposed to things that have no vaccinations.

[Peter1469]

I tested positive for TB when I was in basic training in 1987. A chest X-ray shows that I was exposed, but my immune system won. I suppose if my immune system ever fails I am screwed.

[oceanloverOH]

I tested positive for TB when I was in basic training in 1987. A chest X-ray shows that I was exposed, but my immune system won. I suppose if my immune system ever fails I am screwed.

Basic training in 1987? Why, you're just a young little whippersnapper, Peter! :laughing9:

Back in the 70s when I started my military career, the military were used as "guinea pigs" for flu shots....we didn't have a choice; it was directed that you report for your flu shot. They used a live vaccine in those days, which CAN give you the flu (killed vaccines that they use nowadays cannot give you the flu). We were vaccinated quite early, in about August if I remember right. A certain percentage of troops got vaccinated for one strain, a certain percentage for another strain, etc. Then any side effects were reported before the civilian populace was offered a flu shot. My flu shot in 1976, I remember it well....within 30 minutes of injection, I started shaking and felt faint and burst into tears....my boss rushed me to the hospital. I spent 12 hours in the hospital being monitored for heart palpitations, high fever, vomiting, and severe tremors. After 12 hours, it suddenly stopped and I was fine. Guess which flu shot was not marketed that year? I was able to dodge my flu shot for the next several years because of that reaction, until they started using killed vaccine. To this day, I hate taking a flu shot.

[GrassrootsConservative]

Be careful with that, oceanlover, my current girlfriend had a flu shot last year that gave her the flu for a couple days.
This year she said she got one without the preservatives in it and it did not make her sick.

[oceanloverOH]

Be careful with that, oceanlover, my current girlfriend had a flu shot last year that gave her the flu for a couple days.
This year she said she got one without the preservatives in it and it did not make her sick.

Seriously, GRC....a killed vaccine can NOT give you the flu. I got a flu shot this year in October....and got the flu right after Thanksgiving. A different strain, of course. The medical researchers can only research and speculate which strains of influenza are going to be rampant each year....and unfortunately, they get it wrong a lot. Here's some interesting info on flu vaccines:

http://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/vaccination/index.html#

[Peter1469]

Seriously, GRC....a killed vaccine can NOT give you the flu. I got a flu shot this year in October....and got the flu right after Thanksgiving. A different strain, of course. The medical researchers can only research and speculate which strains of influenza are going to be rampant each year....and unfortunately, they get it wrong a lot. Here's some interesting info on flu vaccines:

http://www.flu.gov/prevention-vaccination/vaccination/index.html#

A vaccine can lower your immune system for a while- and you can catch something. When I was in active military service (including reserves) I had to get a flu shot. Now that I am inactive I don't have too. And I won't.

[oceanloverOH]

A vaccine can lower your immune system for a while- and you can catch something. When I was in active military service (including reserves) I had to get a flu shot. Now that I am inactive I don't have too. And I won't.

That's certainly true, about lowering your immune system temporarily. But Peter, all I can say for you is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY1ecR1jQuQ

[Adelaide]

Basic training in 1987? Why, you're just a young little whippersnapper, Peter! :laughing9:

Back in the 70s when I started my military career, the military were used as "guinea pigs" for flu shots....we didn't have a choice; it was directed that you report for your flu shot. They used a live vaccine in those days, which CAN give you the flu (killed vaccines that they use nowadays cannot give you the flu). We were vaccinated quite early, in about August if I remember right. A certain percentage of troops got vaccinated for one strain, a certain percentage for another strain, etc. Then any side effects were reported before the civilian populace was offered a flu shot. My flu shot in 1976, I remember it well....within 30 minutes of injection, I started shaking and felt faint and burst into tears....my boss rushed me to the hospital. I spent 12 hours in the hospital being monitored for heart palpitations, high fever, vomiting, and severe tremors. After 12 hours, it suddenly stopped and I was fine. Guess which flu shot was not marketed that year? I was able to dodge my flu shot for the next several years because of that reaction, until they started using killed vaccine. To this day, I hate taking a flu shot.

I wasn't even born until '89... :)

I can't imagine using a flu shot experiment like that. I mean, I know that kind of stuff happened but it blows my mind.

[Peter1469]

We got some experimental shots before the Gulf War. They never made it into my official shot records.