For many people, working behind the counter of a pharmacy, helping people with prescriptions and answering questions directly is a fulfilling career. Other pharmacy technicians balk at the idea of dealing with the occasional irate customer, long lines or delivering prescription drugs through a window at a drive-through pharmacy lane. If you're thinking about entering pharmacy technician programs, or leaving your current job at a pharmacy, consider the different kinds of pharmacy jobs available. Working at a long term care pharmacy may offer the working environment you need. This long term care review will inform you about some aspects of this job.
A long term care pharmacy is a facility that supplies medicine mainly to nursing homes, and sometimes assisted living facilities as well. The patients they serve usually have a variety of medical conditions, and on average takes 9 medications at the same time. Nursing home residents often have conditions like Alzheimer's or senile dementia which means they are unable to manage their own care, and must receive their medicines daily from nursing home staff.
Because of this unique patient profile, a long term care pharmacy has differing challenges in terms of the type of work they do in dispensing drugs and ensuring patient safety. Because long term care patients are not mobile, these pharmacies do not maintain a store-front operation. Rather, a pharmacy technician will deliver drugs directly to the nursing home. That makes it a good option for a pharmacy tech that prefers not to work directly with patients.
A long term care pharmacist takes special measures to ensure patient safety. Drugs are shipped in special packaging, per dose instead of in large bottles. These doses are then grouped and shipped by patient, in order to reduce the risk that the medicine will be administered to the wrong person. Oftentimes, a long term care pharmacy will examine each patient's medications to see if every prescription is both necessary and has no harmful interactions with other medications.
A long term care pharmacy is also responsible for supplying supplies and medications that can assist in an emergency. If an emergency suddenly arises for which no supplies are on hand, the pharmacy must rush-deliver the necessary medications. Drug costs for long term care pharmacy patients are covered primarily by Medicaid, although Medicare and private long term care insurance cover a portion as well.
A long term care pharmacy plays an important role in health care for the nation's elderly. This can mean a rewarding job that will always be in high demand, as the number of senior citizens receiving long term care continues to grow. With this ever-growing need, chances are you can find job postings for a long term care pharmacy in your area.
And if you're looking to get insurance, try a free online long term care insurance quote today!
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