Job Description, Daily Responsibilities, and Work Life
Pharmacists
Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.
Table of Contents
Job Description
Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications. They also review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
Other tasks include:
- Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
- Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, or registries of poisons, narcotics, or controlled drugs.
- Work in hospitals or clinics or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultant, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas, such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
- Plan, implement, or maintain procedures for mixing, packaging, or labeling pharmaceuticals, according to policy and legal requirements, to ensure quality, security, and proper disposal.
- Assess the identity, strength, or purity of medications.
- Prepare sterile solutions or infusions for use in surgical procedures, emergency rooms, or patients’ homes.
We asked Pharmacists how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.
77%
78%
77% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 78% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.
Typical Day At Work
On a daily basis, Pharmacists review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability. They work in hospitals or clinics or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultant, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas, such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
A typical day for a Pharmacist will also include:
- Plan, implement, or maintain procedures for mixing, packaging, or labeling pharmaceuticals, according to policy and legal requirements, to ensure quality, security, and proper disposal.
- Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, or registries of poisons, narcotics, or controlled drugs.
- Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
- Order and purchase pharmaceutical supplies, medical supplies, or drugs, maintaining stock and storing and handling it properly.
- Manage pharmacy operations, hiring or supervising staff, performing administrative duties, or buying or selling non-pharmaceutical merchandise.
We asked some Pharmacists a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.
Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job? | 100% said yes | |
How important is it to work in a team in this job? | 71% said very important | |
Do you have group discussions everyday in this job? | 95% said yes | |
Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job? | 81% said yes | |
Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job? | 50% said yes | |
Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job? | 86% said yes |
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Pharmacists also offer health promotion or prevention activities, such as training people to use blood pressure devices or diabetes monitors. They may also refer patients to other health professionals or agencies when appropriate.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Pharmacists Update or troubleshoot pharmacy information databases. They might also Compound and dispense medications as prescribed by doctors and dentists, by calculating, weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients, or oversee these activities.
In addition, they Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, or evaluate the quality or effectiveness of drugs or drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications or characteristics.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them Teach pharmacy students serving as interns in preparation for their graduation or licensure.
To some Pharmacists, it is also their responsibility to Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
Working life
Standard 40 hour work week
Regular schedule like a 9 to 5
In a typical work week as a Pharmacist, you can expect to work 40 hour work week.
Is this right for me
The Thinkers and The Organizers
People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
Learn more about Pharmacists
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