Pharmacy
Clinical pharmacists in hospitals are responsible for providing the expertise to
facilitate appropriate drug selection, dosage calculations and education to
physicians, hospital staff and patients about medications. Pharmacists and
pharmacy technicians work closely with other members of the health-care team to
provide high-quality patient care.
Pharmacists are required to
have a minimum of a five-year bachelor of science degree or a six-year clinical
doctorate and a specified number of hours of supervised pharmacy experience
before taking the national licensure exam.
The duties of the Southwest Memorial Hospital
pharmacy staff include providing medications for each hospital department's
daily and emergency use, and stocking unit-dose carts with medication for each
patient. The pharmacy inventory is closely monitored to ensure that adequate
supplies are available and that no outdated medications remain in stock.
At the request of physicians, pharmacists use pharmacokinetic techniques to determine safe and effective dosages of medications with narrow therapeutic windows. Pharmacists also consult frequently with physicians to determine which antibiotic is most appropriate to prescribe for a specific infection, in order to minimize the evolution of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. The Southwest Memorial Hospital pharmacists are certified to perform Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
Education
In addition to their clinical duties,
pharmacists provide continuing education to hospital staff, provide lectures on
pharmacology for paramedic and nursing students in local programs, serve as
instructors for Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and provide practical
experience for pharmacy students from the
Hours
of Operation
The Southwest Memorial Hospital pharmacy is open from 7 a.m. to 7
p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Pharmacists are on call for emergencies 24/7/365. The Pharmacy is under the
direction of