Where do pharmacists work?
Hospitals
Long-term care facilities
Home care companies
Health maintenance organizations
Other organized health-system settings
What do they do?
Advise doctors and other health care professionals about medication selection and administration
Counsel patients on proper medication use
Monitor medication therapy to ensure effectiveness
Evaluate new medications and recommend the safest and most effective therapies for individual patients
How do they work with doctors and nurses?
Pharmacists work together with doctors, nurses and all other professional who provide patient care
Pharmacists are important members of every patient's health care team
What information can pharmacists provide?
Information on your medications, including purpose, effectiveness, side effects and dosage
How to take medications properly so that they are safe and effective
Ways to help prevent improper medication use and adverse drug reactions
Ways to help prevent the development of drug-resistant strains of bacteria
Proper medication use after the patient leaves a health-system
How do pharmacists help keep patients safe?
By reviewing patients' medication therapy for each new medication prescribed to prevent possible interactions
By discussing the most effective therapies with doctors and nurses
By monitoring medication dosage and administration and making any necessary adjustments
What else can pharmacists tell me about?
Cautions and tips in choosing patches, gum and other smoking cessation aids
Using aspirin to prevent heart attack and strokes
Medications that go from prescription to over-the-counter status
The most effective ways to treat high cholesterol
Medications used to treat common conditions such as diabetes and asthma
Taking medications with alcohol
The proper immunizations adults and children should have
Special considerations to keep in mind when giving children medication
Tips for preventing medication errors and adverse drug reactions
Keep a personal list of all drug therapy
Maintain a list of medications you cannot take due to allergic reactions
Upon entering a health system or during a doctor's visit, provide a complete list of all medications you are taking, including vitamins and alternative medicines
Learn the names of all the medications that are prescribed to you
Be familiar with the appearance of your medications
Check your medications before taking them to ensure they are correct
Know the dosage and schedule for all medications you take
Ask your health-system pharmacist if you have any questions about the treatments or medications you receive
Request written information about your medications
Ask questions about anything you do not understand
If you are too ill to follow these recommendations, ask a friend or a relative to assist you
Keep your family safe by keeping a separate list of medications for each family member
Tips for preventing drug-resistant bacteria
Take the prescribed dose for the full time it's prescribed
Don't skip doses or stop taking the medication before the prescription has been finished
Remember that antibiotics should be used for bacterial infections, not viral infections
Never self-medicate with antibiotics that have not been prescribed to you
Get vaccinations that offer protection from infection
If you are ill, try not to spread infections by going to work or sending a sick child to day care or school