Drug Dispensing Process: Role of Pharmacy Technicians in Ensuring Patient Safety

DRUG DISPENSING PROCESS
INTRODUCTION
Pharmacy technician is the medical professional
who work along with the pharmacist to help and
support patient while assuring that quality care is
being provided to the patients. They are the
individuals who work in setting like community
pharmacist, hospital pharmacist, or primary care
services. Pharmacy technician are the individuals
who are supervised by pharmacist who are
responsible for overall efficacy and safety of the
pharmacy operation. They assist the patient in
filling or order prescription while enhancing
communication with patient in effective manner.
Pharmacy- technicians have the varied roles
depending upon the in which setting they are
being placed. They usually assist patient in
addressing patient history, management of the
medicines, stock management, patient
counselling and many others. The poster
primarily covers role of pharmacist technician in
dispensing process in pharmacy.
MAIN BODY
Drug dispensing is symbolizing as the process
of preparing or carry of medicine to patient
depending upon prescription. Role of
pharmacist in dispensing is to analyses provided
prescription by the physician. The analyses are
done before hand to ensure that exact patient
might not receive the incorrect dosage or drugs.
Good dispensing practice in the care setting
refers to the delivery of accurate drug to the
defined patient in given time duration to ensure
that their health is being improving in
productive manner.
It also ensures that patient and the technician
must have the effective communication which
will provide patient the clear drug information.
Main role of the technician is to accurately
monitor the name of the prescribe drug and
analyses its expiry before handling to the
patient. They also need to ensure that prescribe
name and signature is on the prescription and
also the patient name. Adherence to good
dispensing process is error which might occur
during the process are detect and rectified
before medicine reach out to patient.
Who should involve in dispensing process
Screening of prescription- It is done by healthcare professionals who
are registered practitioner or the pharmacist.
Preparation of the medicine- A registered pharmacist, medical
practitioner and the one who are in immediate supervision which
includes primarily the pharmacy technicians.
Supply of medicines- It is primarily done by pharmacist.
Counselling- The role of pharmacist here is to possess adequate
knowledge about drugs action and safety to pharmacist.

Dispensing process in pharmacy
Effective dispensing process are being regulated
in the pharmacy to provide the patient enriched
care and safety while providing them accurate
medication in given instance. The dispensing
process in hospital are being done in primarily
the six steps which are:
 Prescription interpretation
 Avoiding picking errors
 Containers
 Labelling
 Checking
 Supply to patient
 Patient data confidential
Containers
Every dispensed medication must be supplied in
appropriate manner depending upon the standards
of dispensing for it. The adequate cold storage
box or bottles must be stock effectively in the
pharmacy. When repacking the medication,
certain measures are being taken which includes
brown glass bottles for liquid medication for
internal. Blisters for packed oral dosage forms
and jars for dispensing of topical preparations.
Medicines like aspirin or paracetamol are need to
be packed in child-resistance packaging. When
required patient is counselled specially to keep
the medication away from sight of children.
Medicine should be dispensed in original
packaging as far as possible. Tablet or capsules
must not be removed from the strip or blister
when dispensing to patient as it might
compromise the quality of product.
Avoid picking error
The NHS commissioning board health authority
reports that over around 80 percent of the
dispensing errors found during the dispensing of
the medications are the picking errors. It occurs
usually due to assortment of the wrong strength
formulation or wrong medicine or wrong
quantity. It mainly occurs when cluttered or
overstocked storage occur and when staff is not
able to find medicines due to disorganized
stock. It might also occur when inadequate
marks are present for drugs with similar names
or identical inspect.
Prescription interpretation
In this action, the role of pharmacy technician is
to screened or validate the prescription which has
been provided by physician. Prescription should
contain accurate patient details and date. The one
who receive prescription must check dose,
frequency and duration, associated allergies,
contra-indications for patient in accurate manner.
When the accurate information about the does or
frequency not present then patient need to be
informed or prescriber need to direct contact the
physician. Prescriber must have the easy asses to
physician all time during day either in person,
email or telephone. The technician must be
provided with clear guidelines through training in
what situation they need to seek advice
immediately from the supervisor.