There are far more roles for a pharmacist at the retail level. Medication therapy management, immunizations, patient counseling ect. Retail chains focus on the easy money and thats prescriptions....The more you do the more you make. This has turned us into a bunch of money loving drones who are more than willing to fill, fill, fill as long as I get my paycheck.
A pharmacist has a very limited role at a hospital. There are doctors, phycisian assistants, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, physical therapist, nurses and then your pharmacist. Those people know alot about their specific area and the drugs used. Often times they know more than the pharmacist who has to cover the whole hospital. I would guess nation wide 80% of all hospital pharmacists spend the majority of thier time doing tasks sure as order entry, checking cart fill and IV's ect. Thesew are all things that your "super techs" could easily do.
Trust me...if the "super tech" were to ever happen we are all in trouble.....
You gotta be kidding me! Resp therapist, nurses, PA ...then pharmacist?
. And boy, if you work in hospital, you better know your drugs inside out. The resp therapist is only responsible for "giving" the breathing treatment for patients with the intervals ordered by MD or Pharm.D. I don't think they even know Atropine increases firing of SA node, conduction through AV node, opposes vagus nerve, blocks acetylcholine receptor sites, decreases bronchiole secretions. Nurses are also one the last people you wanna talk about drug therapy. While some are good, the majority can't even tell the difference between K-dur and Micro-K or SR, XL, for instance.
Certain things "super" tech can't do. Supertech won't be able to tell if a patient has PCN allergy can be on Ancef. Supertech won't be able to answer which level to monitor of Vancomycin for severe sepsis. Or more scenarios like this
Supertech "Pharmacy...how can i help you?"
MD: "My pt allergic to morphine...what can i give?"
Supertech: "Let me look up Dr. (which is dumb already...if it's a pharmacist, it should be a snap)....Oh you can give demerol"
MD: "What is the equivalent dose for Morphine 5mg IM q4h prn pain?"
Supertech: "Let me look up, Dr (dumb again)...."
or
MD: "I have a patient who has Hip surgery...what ABx u recommend for prophylaxis?"
Supertech "Let me look up...(10 mins)....Ancef, dr"
MD" What is the dosing?"
Supertech "let me look up... q8h"
MD: "Wait...my pt is allergic to PCN ...is it okay to give ancef? are they much related?"
Supertech: "....."
MD: "Oh....any alternative?"
Supertech fainting......
Usually everything is going smooth, then it's okay...now if something happens...pt goes to coding, etc...who to blame on? the supertech? The supertech then says, "well...i go to school for 2 yrs...sorry". Now, the congress has to revise and say, "Only pharmacists can do.....".
Kind of offtrack here, but the problem with our profession is that the respect in within ourselves are not even as strong as medicine or dentistry. I had a talk with a friend MD the other day and this is what he said, "You guys know why you guys are not called Dr?" I asked, " cuz we are not doctors of medicine". He smiled, and said, "NO...it's because you guys don't even call each other "Dr"...how can u expect others to ?" Good point.
$2 generic? Our profession will never grow with this kind of attitude and the level of respect from public will be down the toilet....very very soon. *Sighs*
