Grade Form

Description

Through the utilization of select community pharmacies and competency based objectives, the student will gain an appreciation for the profession of pharmacy as practiced in the community and develop professional attitudes, judgment and skills needed to function in this setting.

Justification

Community pharmacy training is an integral element of pharmacy practice. This rotation has the following goals.

1. To develop increased proficiency at consulting patients on health and drug-related matters.
2. To continue the development of a concern for the patient's health and welfare, and appreciation for the impact of the community pharmacist in the health care system.
3. To learn the importance and application of patient profiles.
4. To process prescriptions in an efficient manner compatible with advanced skills.
5. To acquire advanced knowledge and proficiency in community pharmacy management.
6. To apply information gained in the didactic component of the curriculum to this practice setting.
7. To provide additional exposure to pharmacy operations and to different practitioner philosophies and problem solving skills.
8. To develop, implement and complete a special project, using the scientific method, in the community pharmacy setting.
9. To develop the skills necessary to provide pharmaceutical care to these patients that produces a desired therapeutic outcome.

Objectives

The student will:

1. Learn the basic layout of the pharmacy.

2. Continue to develop proficiency in handling request for over-the-counter medications and will be able to discuss/describe over-the-counter drugs use including:

• Etiology of the disease being treated.
• The diagnostic signs of the disease.
• The disease states to be ruled out (and questions to ask patient).
• When a physician's care is indicated and need for follow-up when conditions does not improve.
• What drugs are available for treatment including:
• the mechanism of action
• the drug(s) of choice
• the dose and duration of therapy
• possible adverse reactions/contraindications of drug therapy
• the appropriate warnings to patient

3. Advise and assist the patient in purchasing hypodermic syringes, needles, athletic bandages, supporters, catheters, irrigation equipment, ostomy supplies, durable medical equipment and other medical and surgical supplies or paraphernalia offered by the pharmacy.

4. Complete all aspects of drug ordering, check-in, returns to manufacturers and inventory  control.

5. Complete aspects of practice related to pricing, personnel management, third party payments, daily records, licensing, bookkeeping procedures and security.

6. Accompany the preceptor at the preceptor's discretion in any professional activity such as "in service presentations", pharmaceutical association meetings, drug abuse education, continuing education and other appropriate community related functions/involvement. 

7. Triage patients with health problems including those related to medications to the appropriate health care facility.  

8. Continue to develop practical compounding techniques.

9. Develop, implement and complete a community project.

Functions

The following are functions of community pharmacy practice in which advanced instruction will be given.

Dispensing Prescriptions/Medications: Receiving, verification, checking for errors, drug selection, filling, recording, filing and delivery of medication to the patient. This includes contacting physicians, interpretation of telephone and written orders, handling of patient records and interpreting laws related to the preceptor, pricing and completing all third party reimbursement procedures.

Patient Counseling: Includes securing correct information from patient concerning an accurate and complete drug history, advising the patient as to proper use and storage of prescription drugs, and assisting in proper selection of over-the-counter medications. In addition, the student should be encouraged to convey current public-health information, e.g., information related to diabetes, heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases, etc.

Pharmacy Administration: Inventory control, ordering and returning merchandise, receiving and pricing drug products, stock arrangement and storage, management policies, bookkeeping, payroll, billing, employee policies, complaints, correspondence, pharmacy layout, traffic patterns, etc.

Drug and Product Information: There should be time for the student to identify/evaluate information about both prescription and non-prescription drugs. Each student will gain a knowledge of general drug information, generic and trade names, common dosage forms, indications, side effects, interactions and patient counseling information for the top 300 drugs dispensed. The preceptor should discuss these items with the student and quiz him/her orally to test his/her comprehension.

Compounding: Each student should be able to compound prescriptions from each dosage-form type during the rotation. This includes bulk compounding, when appropriate.

Non-Prescription Medication Information: Includes non-prescription medications, hospital and surgical supplies, infant supplies, diabetes related items, etc.

Optional Specialty Interests/Activities: These include interviews with allied health professionals including physicians, nurses, and sales representatives as well as visitations to allied departments in the pharmacy (or affiliated institutions, e.g. home care). The only limitation on time spent is that it is related to the practice of pharmacy or drug utilization. Innovative services are encouraged including public health screening and monitoring of specific disease state (e.g. hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus, etc.).

Student Evaluation of Preceptor/Site

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