Pharmacists

Pharmacists are health professionals who deal with specialized services in relation to medical care.  Basically, they deal with the sale and prescription of medicine. It is worth noting that pharmacists are responsible for examining whether particular drugs meet the medical requirements so that they benefit the users. Moreover, they offer minor services like the dressing or certain advisory services for patients. They work in conjunction with doctors to complete the hospitalization and medication processes. The contribution of the pharmacists is indispensable and it should not be underestimated as they play a significant role in the health care sector.

The effectiveness of the pharmacists largely depends on their training and the experience they have gained while practicing. As a result, it is paramount that they pursue a degree in pharmacy to ensure that they have the relevant knowledge to safely administer medical treatment. Notably, most individuals using birth control pills and other protective drugs do not know their side effects (Rogers, 2017). On the other side, those who are aware are ignorant and do not pass the knowledge to other people close to them. It is the responsibility of the pharmacists to create the awareness of drug usage and the side effects of particular drugs (Elenbaas, 2002). In doing so, most incidences resulting from misuse of drugs can be controlled. Some countries have devised laws to safeguard the drug users, especailly relating to the use of birth control drugs. The laws recommend that the pharmacists should follow a certain protocol. This means that, before administering any form of dosage or prescription, they should send the patient to the hospital for certain tests to be conducted. Such tests include checking the glucose levels in the blood, testing the blood pressure levels, and determining whether the drugs will react negatively within the patient’s body.

The law of limiting the number of drugs that pharmacists can administer is also important. Markedly, they are only allowed to prescribe the drugs which do not require complex medical procedures. For instance, they can easily administer the emergency pills, but they are not allowed to prescribe the intrauterine devices (IUDs) as they require specialists (Higby, Stroud, & American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, 2005). Meanwhile, it is worth noting that giving the pharmacists a more active responsibility in the healthcare department can be of benefit to the citizens as well as the country at large. Roles like administering vaccinations, conducting cholesterol tests, offering guidance, counseling help in increasing the immunization rate and, hence, reducing the mortality rate among young children are some of the roles which can and should be performed by pharmacists.

The pharmaceutical department is a sensitive sector in healthcare, and it needs regular monitoring from the government and non-governmental organizations. Notably, a slight mistake can cause adverse implications to the society, to an extent of even causing deaths. Therefore, it is crucial that the services are only administered by a qualified and certified personnel. Moreover, pharmacies should ensure that the drugs they offer are safe and meet the minimum requirements of the Drugs Act. In other words, they should not sell substandard medication. The pharmaceutical industries experience a lot of dynamics (Steeb, 2012). As a result, they should regularly update themselves in accordance with the emerging trends in the health sector. This can be achieved through the frequent reviewing of the medication charts found in hospitals.

Recently, many individuals have become cautious about the health matters, especially the elderly people. This has prompted them to attend classes which raise their awareness on the benefits of proper pharmaceutical practices. Others hire personal pharmacists to closely monitor their health. This is a common practice amongst patients suffering from chronic ailments like diabetes, blood pressures, and hypertension. In addition, some organizations have health schemes according to which they pay for their members so that they receive special medical attention.

The Importance of such an Article Appearing in a Publication such as the New York Times

The objective/aim of the media is to create awareness among the public. Hence, the publication of such an article in the New York Times helps to raise the public awareness concerning the use of drugs as well as benefits and emerging trends in the pharmaceutical healthcare sector (Singer, 2010). Most importantly, it has a positive impact on the society as it aids in the reduction of incidences of the wrong usage of drugs that are caused by a lack of knowledge. Also, the publication helps the potential entrepreneurs to identify potentially profitable business opportunities. In the long run, it helps to reduce the number of deaths as a result of the misuse of drugs.

Professional Socialization of Pharmacists

A professional pharmacist undergoes a regular schooling in a pharmacy learning institution. There, he or she acquires the desired knowledge, undergoes examinations and evaluation tests, and then obtains a certificate or a license. The above process renders the individual qualified to participate in the pharmacy industry. In addition, he/she should also gain some experience and familiarize him/herself with the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, socialization is the ability of a pharmasist to integrate with others in his or her social life (Abelson & Singer, 2010). Culture and beliefs often bring about the primary socialization which develops into the secondary socialization. Therefore, pharmacists should attune their culture and beliefs so that they can become professionals in socialization as their career requires.

Example of how I have been Socialized at NSU COP

At the Nova Southeastern College of Pharmacy, I received the opportunity to communicate with different people from various origins. Fortunately, I have been able to encounter all the variations in gender, ethnicity, and the different religious beliefs among the diverse students and workers in the university. It is a great achievement since I believe that the experience has sharpened my social skills.

Rating how well NSU is doing in Professionalizing me to Become a Pharmacist

Indeed, Nova Southeastern College of Pharmacy is the best place to professionally study the pharmaceutical course. They hire competent lecturers and are free from any form of biases such as racism or nepotism. Additionally, they do not have any form of discrimination. Apart from that, the university operates on the basis of a well-stated mission which presupposes the education and development of practitioners and researchers who can transform the profession of a pharmacist and improve the global health by applying great skills of leadership and entrepreneurship.  On a scale of ten, it deserves nine out of ten.

How I would Improve NSU COP’s Professional Socialization Process

In order to enhance the university’s process of socialization, it is crucial to increase the co-curriculum activities in the university. Markedly, it can be achieved through the engagement in activities such as games, benchmarking to another school, and field work, so that the students can interact with the public and get to learn and share ideas with different people worldwide. Also, the socialization process can be improved by arranging discussion and debate forums in schools with the aim to involve both the students and the staff members.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the analysis has clearly shown the importance of the roles played by the pharmacists in the society. Additionally, it has revealed the requirements for a professional pharmacist and the different methods they can embrace in order to keep pace with the emerging trends in the field. Notably, pharmacy and socialization are related disciplines. Therefore, pharmacists should have proficient social skills in order to maximize their service delivery to the public. The fact is that it is a sensitive area and pharmacists should practice the knowledge with caution so as to safeguard the health of the public.

References

Elenbaas, R. M. (2002). Joint commission of pharmacy practitioners (JCPP). Encyclopedia of Clinical Pharmacy, 12(6), 496-497. doi:10.3109/9780824706081.087

Higby, G., Stroud, E. C., & American Institute of the History of Pharmacy. (2005). American pharmacy (1852-2002): A collection of historical essays. Madison, WI: American Institute of the History of Pharmacy.

Rogers, K. (2017). Pharmacists in these three states can now prescribe birth control. Motherboard. Retrieved from https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/53qnd3/pharmacists-in-these-three-states-can-now-prescribe-birth-control

Abelson, R., & Singer, N. (2010). In health shift, more patients get pharmacist’s appointment. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/hAbelsoealth/14pharmacist.html?_r=1&sq=inhealthshift,morepatientsgetpharmacist%27sappointment&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1282212117-jHs6MwnCppwv+0eab4sgHw

Singer, N. (2010). Two generations reflect change in pharmacist’s role. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/health/14pharmside.html?_r=1&

Steeb, D. (2012). Improving care transitions: Optimizing medication reconciliation. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 52(4), e43-e52. doi:10.1331/japha.2012.12527