COMMUNITY PHARMACY PLACEMENT FINAL REPORT

PRIYANK DHONDE STUDENT ID NO. 4209099 NIAGARA COLLEGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction 2. Description of pharmacy 3. Description of pharmacy services 4. Description of dispensary and dispensing system 5. Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
In the Retail Pharmacy Assistant program, internship in the pharmacy play important role in the professional development of the student. we got the opportunity to know the work flow in the pharmacy and to meet the real life situation. In the academic studies we got the knowledge about the drugs and work in the pharmacy. we have also done the simulation of pharmacy in the college. we experienced during the placement is similar to simulation, but the work flow is much faster than we do it in the college. The simulation cannot meet the real life situation. So placement after competition of the course is essential for the students. we are the fortunate students to get opportunity to complete our internship under the placement officer Connie Spadafora. I was Placed at the Loblaw Pharmacy in the Zehrs Market of Niagara Falls. Sanjay Patel is the pharmacist and training supervisor of placement program, under Sanjay Patel we learn lot more things that we have not done in the college. Pharmacist has lots of responsibility and work in the pharmacy, it is very hard to adjust time during working in the pharmacy. I am glad to work under Sanjay Patel and I am very thankful to him that in the busy pharmacy He gave his precious time in training me and making sure that I learn all the things in the pharmacy, he has tried up to best level what he can do for us. For the student placement is the first step toward his future so it is very important to get proper training and exposure

to the pharmacy. Student will always remember the first placement experience and its base he will built his future.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHARMACY

I was placed at the Loblaw Pharmacy which is located in the Zehrs Plaza in the Niagara Falls. Zehrs Plaza is the big shopping mall in the Niagara falls and well known among the people. Zehrs Plaza is situated near the optimist park. So people enjoy in the park and due to market place many people come in the Zehrs plaza for shopping. Pharmacy get the benefit of the surrounding and more people come in the pharmacy to fill their prescription. There are different type of pharmacy like independent, retail, chain, franchise etc. This pharmacy is chain pharmacy known as "Loblaw Pharmacy". It has many branches in different city across the province. So due to franchise name many people prefer to deal with the same franchise as they dealing with it before if they shifted from different city. Pharmacy get the benefit with franchise name. Loblaw is the company hire the professional to run the pharmacy. Company hire the manager to look after the pharmacy. In the Pharmacy in which I was placed, there was two manager. My pharmacy opens seven days a week. Even it is open on all the weekends. Pharmacy is well furnished and has all the necessities with it. as the pharmacy is in mall, it is somewhat noisy and surrounded by people all the time. As good music is going on throughout the day, it divert mind from

the stress and it feels good to the people to be there. Pharmacy has the two front desk, one is for drop off the prescription and other is for picking up the prescriptions. There are two computer at each end. It has the back working desk which is almost 14 feet long and has another three computers and each computer is equipped with latest version of its software, printer, scanner and a telephone. There is separate locker for the narcotic drugs which is closer to the pharmacist working area. There is lots of space underneath he working desk for keeping different size of vials with normal cap and Snap cap. There are different containers for large volume of the tables and capsules. It also has separate compartment at the left back corner for compounding the medication. There are also one shredder to dispose the confidential documents of the patients. It has also fax machine which connects pharmacy with the doctors. My pharmacy ha huge parking lot.

STAFF MEMBER
There was 16 staff member working in the pharmacy. Among them two were Pharmacist and Manager of the store. Another two are the pharmacist, and one pharmacist is a visiting pharmacist. He usually come only one day of the week. One of them is Registered Pharmacy Technician. Another two are Pharmacy Technician but not registered. Four of them are Pharmacy Assistant and another four are pharmacy clerk. They all work on

the different schedule allotted to them. Some of them are working full time and some of them are working part time in the pharmacy. Manager set the time schedule for all staff member. There are two pharmacist available in the pharmacy most of the time and some time there are three during busy time. There are two Pharmacy Assistant and one Pharmacy Technician who work mainly on the blister packing of the patient. Other staff member work on different area where there is need. Pharmacy operation hours is depend on the mall. It open at 8:00 am in the morning till the 9:00 pm at the night. Staff member are arranged in such a way that there are more staff present during busy hours. Mostly shift time allotted to them are from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm or 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Staff Member are arranged in such a way all work is distributed in the pharmacy and enough staff member are present to manage daily work in the pharmacy. Pharmacy is the too busy due to the market place. So there are approximate 300 prescription are filled per day in the pharmacy and approximate 2000 prescription is filled per week. There are more repeat prescription then the new prescription in the pharmacy. The patient which cannot come to the pharmacy then they can ask for the delivery to their home. But compare to the pickup, delivery of the medication is less.

DESCRIPTION OF PHARMACY SERVICES

There are many services which is provided by my pharmacy. My pharmacy waive $ 2 per prescription. so low income senior do not pay anything and high income senior pay $4.11 instead of $6.11. Pharmacy also provide the free blood pressure monitoring to all the patient. Pharmacy

also provide the blister packing service to the patient who need all their medication in the blister for no extra cost. Pharmacy also provide the Med Check program to the patient. For OTC drugs and for every new prescription patient always ask for the pharmacist consultation. Pharmacy also prepared compounding of the mixture and the cream which is prescribed by the doctor. we also provide the free diabetic device teaching. Pharmacy also provide the refill of the prescription on the phone call, so patient do not need to come to the pharmacy.

DESCRIPTION

OF

DISPENSARY

AND

DISPENSING SYSTEM
Pharmacy has all type of the medication and dosage forms like Capsule, Tablets, oral liquids, patches, ointment , creams, lotion, eye drops, inhaler, injection, narcotic drugs and devices. Pharmacy have the Brand name and Generic drugs in the shelf. In the drug cage on the left hand side there is a brand name drug arranged according to the alphabetical order and after completing generic drugs are started in the shelf. After completing at the end of the shelf there is a cream is arranged and beside that shelf there is oral suspension, oral liquid and then suppositories are arranged. we have a separate drawer on left hand in which the birth control pill are arranged and beside that shelf there is a eye drops, ear drops, aerosols, nasal spray and diskus are arranged. Those drugs, injection and eye drops which are to be temperature controlled are kept in the refrigerator.Pharmacy also sell

the product which should be in the pharmacy and people want it. Pharmacy take maximum care of the people need and provide them as much as possible.

PROCESSING OF PRESCRIPTION
When the patient come with the new prescription. The prescription is received by the Pharmacy Technician at the Drop Off counter of the pharmacy. Usually the patient is regular costumer of the pharmacy, so there profile is already in the computer. But if the patient is new then Pharmacy Technician ask the all detail of the patient like their Name, Address, Phone Number, Date of Birth, weather patient has any allergy and their medical condition. Most of the patient has their Health Insurance plan, some of them have more than one plan. If the patient is above 65 age or on welfare then they have ODB plan. After entering all the detail in computer, Pharmacy Technician create a patient profile. Then Pharmacy Technician entered the drug which is written on the prescription by Doctor and direction on the prescription with all other detail. Technician also entered Doctor name and address from which the patient receive the prescription. If the prescription is for the Narcotic drugs there should be a patient name along with a patient Identity number written on it and Doctor signature with their CPSO number written on it. Technician attach the scanned photocopy of the prescription in the patient profile and enter the time when patient is going to receive the medication in work process. They also write the time at which patient drop off the prescription. According to time of pick up the Technician put the prescription in the appropriate Basket. So it is easy to manage work and

arrange the priority accordingly. There are Different colour basket, each has different priority. some of them use in my pharmacy are as below o Orange - must be filled first, patient is waiting for prescription to get ready. o Brown - must be filled today, patient must be coming to receive later today. o Blue - can be filled later, patient will come tomorrow or later. o White - can be filled and delivered. Once the prescription is made by the Technician then it goes into the back side for packaging, where prescription drug is removed from drug cage. Then fist prescription is scanned and then drug container barcode is scanned. By doing this we know the drug which we are filling is right drug and by scanning we maintain the inventory of the drugs. After this technician has to check the DIN number of the drug, it should match with the DIN number on the prescription. Technician have to write the Expire date of the drug on the prescription. Then Technician have to count the medication on the counting tray, and pack in the appropriate size vial. If patient request then medication is pack in snap caps. If the drug is Narcotic then medication is counted two time. Then drug containing vial is labelled. If the medication come in the box pack like insulin injection or birth control pill then labelling is done on the box. Then it is pass on to the pharmacist for

pharmacist

verification.

Pharmacist

check

the

prescription

and

all

medication, so it is double checked and is approved for dispensing. Pharmacist also check the medical history of the patient, allergic and medical condition of the patient if necessary. After conforming every things pharmacist sign the prescription and medication is packed in the paper bag. Receipt is attach on top of the bag and made ready for dispensing. Medication are placed in the drawer on the front beside the pickup counter according to the alphabetical order by their last name. When patient come in for the receiving the prescription then patient name and address is check orally with patient to confirmed the medication is going to the same patient. Then medication is scanned in for pickup status and price of the prescription.

CONCLUSION
Altogether it was a great Experience to work in the pharmacy as a Pharmacy Assistant. I learn many thing which I have not learn during the studies. We will never going to simulate the real life scenario in college, so placement training is important during after completing the course. Still lot more thing I have to learn from the experienced. I was encouraged by the Pharmacist and other staff member to do new things. I am lucky to work with this co-operative and supporting staff and Pharmacist. I wish that all

staff member like my work and hope that I also get the job in such type of the Pharmacy.