St.

Thomas Aquinas University

English for Pharmacy students
Lecturer: Mr. Tegawende Stephane Ouedraogo

HEALTH CARE TEAM

The health care team is never more obvious and visible than it is
in the hospital. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dieticians,
laboratory, and radiology (x-ray) personnel, to name a few, work
together for the good of the patient. The health care team runs
smoothly when each person on the team understands and respects
each other’s role, communicates well, and always has the patient’s
best interest at the center of their attention. Including the patient in
their care makes the team function even better. How the
pharmacist fits into the health care team is changing for the better.
In the past, pharmacists were relied on to make sure the right drug
was given to the right patient and at the right time. This is still a
key role for pharmacy from a drug distribution standpoint.
However, to fulfill the first part — the correct drug — the
pharmacist needs to know that the patient is diagnosed correctly
and that the best drug for that patient has been prescribed. To do
this, the pharmacist needs to be on the patient care unit after the
patient has been evaluated and diagnosed and when the drug is
being selected. The pharmacist also needs to advise the nurse
about the complex job of administering medication. It is also the
role of the pharmacist to be the patient’s adviser when it comes to
medication. The goal should be that most patients say “yes” when
asked if they talked with a pharmacist during their hospital stay. It
is even better if the patient remembers the pharmacist’s name.
However, how many patients in hospitals do not even know there
are pharmacists in the hospital?