Pharmacist Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the pharmacist job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements that you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the pharmacist role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does a Pharmacist Do?

Pharmacists are health specialists who compound and dispense medications to patients.

They work alongside physicians and other healthcare personnel with a job description that entails providing drugs for the treatment of patient illness.

Pharmacists in performing their duties provide over-the-counter medication.

They usually give healthcare advice and information regarding a prescription and also advise on drug dosage and interview patients to identify conditions such as allergy or pregnancy that can be affected by prescribed medication.

Their role also involves educating patients on the side effects of drugs and ways to minimize exposure to risk associated with the side effects.

They review patient prescriptions to ensure they are suitable for stated health condition and may also contact patient family to relay information regarding drug use.

As part of their responsibilities, pharmacists check with patients to monitor interaction of drugs with one another.

They coordinate with patient physician to adjust drug dosage or change prescription in case of a negative drug interaction.

Their work description also involves recommending dietary changes and exercises to improve assimilation of drug and general health condition.

Usually, pharmacists evaluate patients’ insurance policies to ensure it covers their pharmaceutical needs.

They contact patients’ insurance company to verify insurance coverage prior to dispensing medications and also maintain accurate inventory to ensure availability of required stock.

As part of their duties, pharmacists work in a consultative capacity to provide surgeons and physicians recommendations on drug selection, interaction, side effect, and dosage.

They implement procedures for mixing and tagging of pharmaceuticals according to established standards.

They also conduct tests to ascertain the identity, purity, and strength of a medication.

In fulfilling their role, pharmacists compound medical solutions used during surgical procedures or emergency, and also oversee the procurement of out-of-stock medical supplies and equipment.

Assisting patients in selecting appropriate medical products or brand is also part of their description.

To work as a pharmacist requires a doctorate degree in pharmacy.

The qualities needed to succeed on the job include analytical and communication skills, as well as strong attention to details.

Pharmacist Job Description Example/Template

Pharmacists perform various functions; their major tasks, duties, and responsibilities are shown in the job description example below:

• Fill patients’ prescription according to instructions given by physicians
• Interview patients to identify conditions such as allergy or pregnancy that can be affected by intake of a drug
• Instruct patients on the dosage and dietary requirements for drug consumption
• Advise patients on medical equipment or products most suitable for a health condition
• Guide and direct the activities of pharmacy technicians and interns
• Provide physicians and other healthcare professionals with information on proper drug therapy for patients
• Perform drug assay to verify purity, strength, and other parameters considered for dosage
• Review over-the-counter (OTC) and medical prescriptions to ensure they are suitable for a patient
• Provide patients with information regarding drug interactions, side effects and storage requirements
• Maintain record of patient profiles, inventory, and registries of poison and narcotics
• Calculate, weigh, and mix ingredients to compound drugs as prescribed by medical doctors
• Proffer recommendations to assist patients in managing conditions such as asthma and drug dependency
• Train patients to use and interpret information on devices on blood pressure or diabetes monitor
• Refer patients to other healthcare experts such as psychiatrists and physiologists as maybe required
• Monitor patients to track the efficiency/side effect of a drug and make changes where appropriate.

Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge – for Pharmacist Job

If you are interested in seeking the pharmacist work, here are major employer requirements you may be expected to satisfy before called in for an interview:

• Education and Training: To become a pharmacist, you require a doctorate degree in pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Entry into a Pharm.D. program usually requires a Bachelor’s degree in related science discipline. Upon graduation, pharmacists are required to complete an internship program at a hospital or retail pharmacy. State licensure is required for practice
• Analytical Skill: Pharmacists are able to assess patients’ needs in order to dispense medication
• Communication Skill: They are adept at interacting with patients to explain the dosage and possible side effects of a drug
• Attention to Detail: They are given to details when filling patients’ prescriptions to ensure appropriate medication is dispensed.

Conclusion

Are you hiring for the job of a pharmacist and need a good job description to get the best candidates for the role? If you are, then you can apply the sample pharmacist work description in this post to produce one fast for your company.

The information in this article is also helpful to aspiring pharmacists to learn more about the career and the duties and responsibilities they may be assigned when they become qualified to do the job in future.