Pharmacists

Pharmacists typically perform the following tasks: • Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability. • Assess the identity, strength, or purity of medications. • Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage. • Analyze prescribing trends to monitor patient compliance and to prevent excessive usage or harmful interactions. • 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. • 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. • Plan, implement, or maintain procedures for mixing, packaging, or labeling pharmaceuticals, according to policy and legal requirements, to ensure quality, security, and proper disposal. • Order and purchase pharmaceutical supplies, medical supplies, or drugs, maintaining stock and storing and handling it properly. • Compound and dispense medications as prescribed by doctors and dentists, by calculating, weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients, or oversee these activities. • Contact insurance companies to resolve billing issues. • Advise customers on the selection of medication brands, medical equipment, or healthcare supplies. • Teach pharmacy students serving as interns in preparation for their graduation or licensure. • Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure. • Refer patients to other health professionals or agencies when appropriate. • 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. • Update or troubleshoot pharmacy information databases. • Manage pharmacy operations, hiring or supervising staff, performing administrative duties, or buying or selling non-pharmaceutical merchandise. • Prepare sterile solutions or infusions for use in surgical procedures, emergency rooms, or patients' homes. • Offer health promotion or prevention activities, such as training people to use blood pressure devices or diabetes monitors. • Publish educational information for other pharmacists, doctors, or patients.