Safety in the Pharmacy

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Safety in the Pharmacy
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Personal safety

• safety from physical harm
• Substances
• supplies (chemicals, poisons, etc.)
• equipment
• improper body mechanics

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Personal Safety

• employee responsibilities
• maintain a safe work place
• apply principles of proper body mechanics
• wear appropriate PPE (Personal Protection
  Equipment) when indicated
• follow proper procedures in handling
  pharmaceutical agents that may pose a hazard to
  the practicioner
• know and apply the policies and procedures in
  case of emergency

4
Environmental Safety

• Environmental Safety
• clean work place
• proper ventilation
• proper lighting
• adequate set-up and layout of work place
• proper functioning equipment

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Regulatory Agencies

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  (OSHA)
• Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
  Organizations (JCAHO)
• Pharmacy Boards

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Safe Practices
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Patients trust pharmacy personnel to

• provide accurate and competent service
• safe and effective medications
• dispense according to prescribers directions

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Pharmacist must ensure

• right drug
• right patient
• right dosage
• right route
• right time
• right attitude

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Practitioner must be familiar with

• Common side effects
• Contraindications
• Drug or food reactions with medications
• Generic drugs that may be substituted

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Practitioner should know at minimum the following
information for the drugs most used in individual
practice setting or geographical location

• Adverse drug reactions
• Side effects
• Contradictions
• Safe/effective dosage range

• Drug/food interactions
• Common dosage regimens
• Dosage forms
• Route of administration

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Reviewing Refills

• Number of refills
• Correct drug selection
• Significantly early or late requests for refills
  may indicate medication misuse.

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Beware of Dispensing Errors!!