For this assignment, you will need to write a response to 5
questions. Your answers do not have to be long (a paragraph should be
sufficient) but they should be written in complete sentences. The
questions are shown below for convenience but you can download the
questions here in a Word document<Link to
PT285fw-Module_05-ShortEssayAssignment.docx>.
- A patient comes to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription. You do
not recognize the patient but she states her name is Kim Johnson and
that she has 3 prescriptions to pick up. You go to the will-call bin and
pull out a bag with her name on it. You see these are all new
prescriptions. Discuss the ways you could prevent a medication error
from occurring at this point. - Are there any situations where a Pharmacy Technician could perform a
drug utilization review? Why or why not? Describe at least three types
of drug utilization review that are commonly seen in pharmacy practice. - Think about the steps it takes to fill a prescription. Analyze the
places errors can occur in the filling process, and discuss the types of
errors that can occur. - What are the strengths and limitations of pharmacy automated systems?
- This question has two parts:
- How do drug shortages impact pharmacies and patients?
- Using the FDA website, list three current drug shortages. For each
of the three, list the name of the drug, the estimated shortage
duration (if given) and the reason for shortage (if given).
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: As a medical professor, it is important to teach and prepare future pharmacy technicians to be able to prevent medication errors, perform drug utilization reviews, avoid errors in the filling process, understand the strengths and limitations of automated systems, and address drug shortages.
1. To prevent a medication error in this situation, a pharmacy technician should ask for the patient’s date of birth or address to match with the prescription label, confirm the prescription is for the correct patient, compare the medication name, dosage strength, and quantity with the prescription, and check for any allergies or interactions with other medications. If there are any discrepancies or concerns, the pharmacist should be consulted before dispensing the medication.
2. Pharmacy technicians can perform drug utilization reviews under the supervision and authorization of a pharmacist. Three types of drug utilization reviews commonly seen in pharmacy practice include prospective DURs, retrospective DURs, and concurrent DURs. Prospective DURs are performed before a medication is dispensed to ensure it is safe and appropriate for the patient. Retrospective DURs are performed after a medication has been dispensed to evaluate its effectiveness and identify potential issues or adverse events. Concurrent DURs are performed while the patient is receiving medication to monitor its ongoing safety and efficacy.
3. Errors can occur in the filling process of a prescription in several places, including receiving the prescription, deciphering the prescription, entering it into the pharmacy information system, selecting and measuring the medication, labeling the medication, and dispensing it to the patient. Types of errors that can occur include giving the wrong medication, incorrect dosage, incorrect route of administration, providing inadequate instructions, or dispensing expired or damaged medication.
4. Pharmacy automated systems have several strengths, including increasing efficiency, reducing errors, improving accuracy, and enabling pharmacies to handle high volumes of prescriptions quickly. However, there are also limitations to automated systems, such as the cost of implementing and maintaining the technology, the possibility of technological malfunctions, and the potential for errors if the system is not properly programmed or maintained.
5. Drug shortages can impact pharmacies and patients by causing delays in treatment, increased healthcare costs, decreased patient satisfaction, and drug substitutions that may not be equivalent to the prescribed medication. Three current drug shortages listed on the FDA website include bupivacaine hydrochloride injection (due to increased demand and manufacturing delays), lidocaine hydrochloride injection (due to increased demand and limited availability of raw materials), and medroxyprogesterone acetate injection (due to interrupted manufacturing and supply). The estimated duration and reason for each shortage are also listed on the FDA website.
