Hospital pharmacy has now been recognized as an
important department of any worthwhile hospital. Naturally, it should be
staffed by competent persons, well-trained in the profession of pharmacy. The
better the quality of the people employed by the pharmacy department; the
higher will be the status of this department. Indian Hospital Pharmacists Association
set up well by Dr. B. D. Miglani in 1963 should be strengthened to play a more effective
role. Hathi committee has recommended that I.V. fluid manufacturing should be done
under the supervision of M. Pharm assisted by B. Pharm and D. Pharm
holders.
1. Technical knowledge of drugs and their
action: A hospital pharmacist is always associated with the
medical staff so he must know about the chemistry, pharmacology, route of
administration, stability, and other information relating to drugs. The hospital
pharmacist must be able to provide information and assistance in the proper handling
of drugs, for example, radioisotopes, and experimental drugs.
2. Development of pharmaceutical
manufacturing procedures: Usually, drugs are required in large
quantities in a big-sized hospital which may be manufactured in the hospital itself
or procured from outside sources. The pharmacist must be able to evaluate the
relative savings that may be possible by manufacturing drugs in bulk quantities
provided the cost of labor and maintenance cost are not so high. The clinical staff often requests the
pharmacist to prepare drugs in forms that are not commercially available.
Therefore, the pharmacist must be ready to supply this service which is not
ordinarily expected from a pharmacist in other circumstances.
3. Knowledge of control procedures:
Drugs are purchased or dispensed, but in every case, they must be evaluated for
their quality and standards laid down in official compendia. The hospital
pharmacist must have a thorough knowledge of pharmaceutical properties and
control procedures to assure a quality product as well as standards prescribed
in official compendia.
4. Participation in research activity:
The pharmacist must be able to participate in or perform research related to
improving the usefulness of pharmaceutical preparation, method of preservation
and standardization and stabilization, and increasing therapeutic effectiveness.
5. Teaching training program:
The hospital pharmacist must be capable of organizing a teaching/ training
program in the hospital. He may prepare lectures and demonstrations for the
nursing staff covering such as storage of drugs, drug usage, dosage forms, and
calculation of doses. Topics such as prescription writing, drug usage, and incompatibility
may be presented to the medical staff.
6. Administration and management of
hospital pharmacy: The chief hospital pharmacist must be
able to plan and direct pharmacy policies, for example; budgeting, stock
control, maintenance of records, and preparation of reports. The chief
pharmacist is responsible for interviewing, selecting, and evaluating personnel
for work in a pharmacy. He organizes and schedules the work of pharmacy
personnel. He must participate in the development of policies relating to
charges made for pharmaceutical services.