COMMUNITY PHARMACY PLACEMENT FINAL REPORT

BHAVDEEP CHOTALIYA ID NO. 4206369 NIAGARA COLLEGE

Prefa e

The purpose of this report is to explain what I did and learned during my internship period with the RETAIL PHARMACY A I TA!T Program in the

"i#ision of Pharma$y% The report is also a re&uirement for the partial fulfillment of my wor' as a $o(op student% The report fo$uses primarily on the assignments handled) wor'ing en#ironment) su$$esses and short$omings that the intern did en$ounter when handling #arious tas's assigned to him *y the pharma$ist and pharma$y te$hni$ian% e$ondly) pla$ement experien$e is a ne$essary $omponent of RPA program and is mandatory as fulfillment of the wor' pla$ement re&uirements for graduation% It is hoped that this report would ser#e as a 'ey #ehi$le to the impro#ement of the internship program%

TABLE OF CONTENT!

+% Introdu$tion ,% "es$ription of pharma$y -% "es$ription of pharma$y ser#i$es .% "es$ription of dispensary and dispensing system /% Con$lusion

I"#r$%& #'$" As an intern with RPA student I was wor'ing in the shopper0s drug mart under the super#ision of Connie padafora who was the enior Programme 1ffi$er % hopper0s drug mart is a $hain pharma$y store% Adnan Ahmed was the Pharma$ist and 1wner of that store who had pro#ided me great information regarding pharma$y as well as duty and responsi*ilities of retail pharma$y assistant% I was in#ol#ed in a range of different tas's and smaller explorations that were $learly stated within my wor' pla$ement training manual% I had got a *usy pharma$y *e$ause of it0s $onspi$uous lo$ation%

(. De) r'*#'$" $f *+ar,a As i mentioned that i did my pla$ement in shopper0s drug mart%) whi$h is $hain pharma$y% There are more than +,.2 shopper0s drug mart a$ross $anada% My shopper0s were lo$ated in 3riarfield hopping Centre in t

Catharines) 1ntario% There are so many shopping outlets are lo$ated *eside that shopper0s% 4or e%g fresh($o whi$h is Canada0s popular gro$ery store% o) that0s the area with $rowd of people and e#eryone $an fulfill their shopping o#er there% These gi#es a good ad#antage to people $oming to shopper0s to drop their pres$ription *e$ause they $an preser#e and ta'e the ad#antage of their time% There were one main pharma$ist) . relief pharma$ist) one pharma$y te$hni$ian and . pharma$y assistant% "uring my pla$ement i ha#e seen good rapport and teamwor' *etween them% 5or'ing hours of pharma$y was from 6 AM to +,AM and there were alternate shift for the assistant) it was li'e 6%-2 AM to .%-2 PM) ++ AM to / PM or 7 PM and - PM to 8 PM% There is enough staff to $omplete all wor' li'e two pharma$ists are appointed daily with 6 hours shift% There were ample assistant and other staff mem*er for that pharma$y% o) i ha#e ne#er seen any 'inda sham*les in pharma$y% The dri#er was also a#aila*le for deli#ery of pres$ription medi$ations% The pres$riptions are a$tually filled *y Pharma$y Te$hni$ian or assistant and the pharma$ist $he$'s to ma'e sure they are $orre$tly filled% E#eryday num*er of pres$riptions filled at

that pharma$y were #i#id% 1n a wee'end i mar'ed less flow of pres$riptions where as on Monday and Tuesday we used to fill highest pres$riptions of wee'% Pharma$y was also *usy with large amount of patients% My pharma$y was *usy among the other pharma$y of t%Catharine%

o) the num*ers of pres$riptions filled per day were more $omparing to other pharma$y% The flow of patients was more in this pharma$y% This pharma$y fills more than +222 pres$riptions per wee'% I ha#e the report of one wee' filled pres$ription re$ord of my pharma$y%

"AY unday Monday Tuesday 5ednesday Thursday 4riday aturday Total of wee';

"ATE 2,9279,2+2-9279,2+2.9279,2+2/9279,2+279279,2+2:9279,2+269279,2+-

4ILL 8+ +/+ +/6 ,.. ,:, ,/, +,: +,8/

REC1R" 82 ,,+ ,-/ ,,. /+/ /22 .6/ ,,:2

I ha#e one day report also whi$h i ha#e mentioned *elow)

The physi$al layout of my pharma$y was li'e one department whi$h is ha#ing enough area for wor' flow and $ompounding as well as dispensing of medi$ines% As we need more spa$e to redu$e mess up in pharma$y% Ea$h area was separated as per wor' and ha#e enough spa$e to wor'% The safe for the nar$oti$ drugs were small%

2. De) r'*#'$" $f P+ar,a - !er.' e)/

There were many ser#i$es pro#ided *y our pharma$y li'e *lister pa$'aging) $ounseling) $ompounding and deli#ery of medi$ines% 1ur pharma$y used to pro#ide nursing homes ser#i$e *ut now it doesn0t% PAGER !Y!TEM!/ The patients who want to wait for their pres$riptions) when they drop off the pres$ription) pharma$y assistant put it in to the red *as'et% o) the other staffs $ome to 'now that patient is waiting

and they fill it early% 4or the regular pres$ription) we used the *lue *as'ets and for deli#ery white one% Then when the medi$ine ready) patient $an 'now *y pager% BLI!TER PAC0ING/ The pro$edure followed for *lister pa$'ing is li'e first we ad<udi$ate pres$riptions on$e a wee' for drug plan% Then one of the pharma$y staff printed the pres$riptions and mat$h it with all gi#en dire$tions of physi$ian% Then one pharma$y assistant found the all drugs from the drug shel#es and s$anned it) so the $orre$t drug was pi$'ed up% Then they dispensed it *y &uantity and fill the pa$'ets with dire$tions of drug ta'en at morning *rea'fast time) lun$h) supper and night time and do the $old seal% Then it is ready for deli#ery% Here they ad<udi$ate the pres$ription on$e a wee' for drug plan%

PECULIAR FEAUTER!/

hopper=s drug mart has so many distinguishing features to pro#ide patient $are and other $ustomer ser#i$es li'e) 1TC produ$ts

Cosmeti$s and *eauty produ$ts

"ia*eti$ monitoring systems and dia*eti$ strips

E&uipment for measuring *lood pressure and *lood sugar le#el

Pregnan$y testing 'its

Multi#itamins) protein and dietary foods

3a*y produ$ts

COMPOUNDING/ Compounding of medi$ine is $ommon pro$edure for e#ery

pharma$y% This pharma$y also does this pro$edure for topi$al ointments) mixing of $reams) re$onstitution of oral suspensions and li&uids% 5hen they dispensed fridge produ$ts) they put *lue la*el of word >4RI"?E= on the *ag so patient $ome to 'now a*out it% PATIENT POPULATION/ As this pharma$y were lo$ated in residential and mar'et area) so it gets lot of pu*li$ there to fill their pres$ription%

3. De) r'*#'$" $f D')*e")ar- a"% D')*e")'"1 )-)#e,)/ !TOC0 ARRANGEMENT!/ This pharma$y needs more spa$e as it is su$h a *usy pharma$y *e$ause if there will *e more employer then there is lots of $han$e to get mess up and mista'e% In this pharma$y different shel#es use for different drugs% Immunity sto$'s) Insulin produ$ts and

refrigerated produ$ts li'e Lantus) no#o(ring and Humalog et$% are store in fridge% Then all eye drops and inhalers are arranged in different shel#es% After that all *irth $ontrols and non(refrigerated in<e$tions are arranged alpha*eti$ally in different shel#es% Then all $reams and ointments are sto$'ed and after that all *rand name and generi$ drugs arranged alpha*eti$ally in the shel#es% Then all oral li&uid anti*ioti$s and suspensions and at last all large &uantity $reams are arranged in different shel#es% !ar$oti$s and $ontrolled produ$ts are store in safe drug $age with num*ering lo$' and 'ey system under pharma$ist=s super#ision% 2OR0 LOAD AND FLO2 OF DI!PEN!ARY/ All staff mem*ers 'now their wor' #ery far) so there is no wor' load in the store% Most pro*a*ly) it happen on Monday as it=s *usy after

wee'end%

ometimes if any staff is not present then they feel wor'

load% 5or' flow is in good manner in the store%

PROCE!! FOR NE2 PRE!CRIPTION/ 5hen patient $ome to pharma$y with new Rx and drop off at the $ounter) the pharma$y assistant greet the patient and as' the re&uired information li'e last and first name% Then enter all the information in $omputer system with any allergies) drug plan and any inter$hangea*le drugs if patient wants% Then as' patient for waiting or time when he wants to pi$' up and then do the regular pro$ess for Rx% After that the Rx is filled *y other staff and at last it is #erified *y the pharma$ist with $orre$t dire$tion) &uantity) right drug et$ and it is ready for patient to pi$' up% PROCE!! FOR REPEAT PRE!CRIPTION/ Repeats of pres$ription is done *y two ways li'e one on $all or patient may $ome to pharma$y for repeats of his Rx% If patient $all for repeats and there is no repeats on the profile then pharma$y te$hni$ian has to $all or fax to the do$tor for the repeat authori@ation re&uest of that pres$ription% Then do$tor re(fax or $all *a$' for repeats) then staff $an do the repeat pro$ess% CHEC0ING PROCE!! FOR NE2 AND REPEAT R3/ Pharma$ist $he$'s the pres$ription with drug for the pres$ription%

"ou*le $ounting is done or not for the nar$oti$s% 5hen the Rx is with one nar$oti$ and one regular drug for the same patient) $ross referen$ing is mentioned in the pres$ription% COMPUTER !Y!TEM/ hopper=s drug mart has its own $omputer system $alled

HEALTH5ATCH

ystem whi$h is appli$a*le for all other shopper=s

drug mart stores% This system is also easy li'e 'roll and flexi pharm% This system has ad#antages li'e when we do not ha#e enough &uantity of medi$ine to fill Rx) it as' us to owe the &uantity% It is easy to learn and we $an do the pro$ess fast% I li'e this $omputer system% AUTOMATED OTHER !Y!TEM!/ This $omputer system has auto fax ma$hine $onne$ted to fax the do$tor% It is also $onne$ted to MM A Mer$handise Management

ystem for all management sto$' of drugs% 5e ha#e s$anner to s$an the medi$ine whi$h is useful to show the $orre$t medi$ine with $orre$t strength and also we $ome to 'now that who fill the Rx% PROCEDURE FOR NARCOTIC! AND CONTROLLED DRUG!/ 4or the nar$oti$s and $ontrolled drugs) Rx is filled *y assistant in same manner as regular% 3ut the dou*le $ounting of medi$ine is done with mar'ing on Rx% The nar$oti$s are sto$'ed in safe super#ised area in safe lo$'er

ROLE OF PHARMACI!T/ Counseling

Che$' Rx pro*lems

Ta'e new Rx on $all

Answer the patient=s &uestions

ROLE OF PHARMACY A!!I!TANT AND TECHNICIAN/ 4ill the drugs

Entry of Rx in $omputer system

Answer the phone

Pres$ri*er $alling and faxing

"o the Cash $ounter

1rdering of medi$ine

Arrange the new sto$' in shel#es

INVENTORY RETURN!/

CONTROL

PROCEDURE!4

ORDERING

AND

In#entory of drugs) ordering of re&uired medi$ine and returns of

drug is done ele$troni$ally in the store% done manually%

ometimes drug $laim is

C$" 5&)'$"/ After $ompletion of the $o(op at familiar with retail pharma$y hopper=s drug mart) I *e$ame system I $on$luded that this

pla$ement is #ery *enefi$ial for retail pharma$y assistant students to get pra$ti$al 'nowledge to wor' professionally as a team mem*er of pharma$y team and health $are system% I am now $onfident to wor' as pharma$y assistant in the pharma$y after doing this pla$ement as I learned many new things li'e) 4illing pres$riptions

How to $ommuni$ate with patient at the $ounter

"ispensing medi$ine

Re$ei#ing order

Answer the phone $alls

Call *a$' to physi$ian=s offi$e

4ax to physi$ian=s offi$e

Cash $ounter

Bnowledge a*out drugs and nar$oti$s

I 'new somehow a*out *illing system

These pharma$y wor' pla$ement will *e #ery useful in my feature a$ademi$ pharma$y field%