A pharmacy at the bedside

Pharmacists at Redcliffe Hospital are helping patients of all ages progress through their hospital journey quickly and seamlessly as more and more pharmacy work is performed on the wards.

Director of Pharmacy at Redcliffe Hospital for the past 15 years Derek Just said the pharmacy in the ward program at the hospital has taken dispensing to a new level, freeing up medical and nursing staff to see more patients with an assurance all patients are going to get the correct medications.

Derek introduced a plan to provide clinical pharmacy in the ward, which aims to take the pharmacist to the patient to assist the doctors and nurses.

“The pharmacy service has now established itself as something that is very useful,” Derek said.

“The pharmacist will record a patient history and then provide a medication action plan. This assists the doctors and nurses in terms of getting the right medication to the right person at the right time.”

Patients are assured of a very high degree of safety when dealing directly with the pharmacists.

Pharmacists working in the Emergency Department (ED) play a particularly intricate role when patients are presenting off the street or are brought in by ambulance. Redcliffe Hospital was the first in Queensland to introduce a full seven-day pharmacy service to the ED.

“Pharmacists in the Emergency Department will take a full medication history to get a current picture of all the medications a patient is taking,” Derek said.

“Often the pharmacist will notice any contraindications involving the drugs currently being taken or likely to be prescribed during the Emergency Department presentation.”

“This ensures the patient is safe, is receiving the most appropriate medication and is receiving it in a timely manner. The pharmacist will also give advice on dosage, availability of medications and has a clear understanding of all available medications, particularly with a plethora of new drugs available in the marketplace.”

“Pharmacists’ major focus in the hospital setting is concentrated on the judicious use of medicines and managing overuse, particularly of antibiotics.”

“We are concentrating on antimicrobial stewardship at the moment and have just recently appointed staff to promote judicious prescribing of antibiotics.”

“Now, the majority of our population is ready to accept that they need to know what they are taking, to know the side effects and be responsible with their medications.”

“As time goes on we’ll find there will be less dependence on a pill to cure problems and we will be looking at the psychological aspects and other means of treating conditions.”