Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - (Page 3) DRUG TOPICS 3 Of Interest to Pharmacists Survey: Most California pharmacists satisfied with work conditions Alaina Scott T he majority of pharmacists recently polled in California are at least somewhat concerned with practice standards, prescription reimbursement, working conditions and pharmacists’ benefits and salaries, according to a survey commissioned by the California Pharmacists Association (CPhA). But most expressed an overall satisfaction with both their career choice, employers, and working conditions. In May, CPhA contracted Tootelian & Associates to survey employee pharmacists on various issues including practice settings, satisfaction with their profession, local association memberships and other matters. The survey was part of an effort by the Academy of Employee Pharmacists (AEP) to better understand the needs of employee pharmacists in diverse practice settings throughout California. The two organizations hoped to obtain selected demographic information on employee pharmacists, their perceptions of their jobs and the organizations for which they work, and the professional issues most important to them. AEP’s initiative was the result of concern in California about the working conditions of pharmacists. Employees have shared stories about filling up to 500 prescriptions within a 10-hour shift, said Fred S. Mayer, RPh, MPH, a Drug Topics advisory board member and president of Pharmacists Planning Service, Inc. The CPhA sought collect data about working conditions and the satisfaction and staffing levels of employee pharmacists. CPhA was also curious about how it could improve its member services and meet the needs of its existing and potential members. Mayer said many pharmacists in California would like to see unions in more pharmacies in the state to better develop work standards. He believes that would help prevent medication errors. The survey results show four out of five pharmacists are happy with their working conditions, but Mayer pointed out that even 20 percent of unhappy phar- “When you’re filling a prescription every 30 seconds, you can see it’s a prescription for disaster.” — Fred Mayer, RPh., member of Drug Topics advisory board macists is unacceptable. “Those are the ones who are more likely to make mistakes,” he said. “The average time for filling a prescription is two to five minutes after checking the patient’s history, making sure the right pills are in the correct bottle and counseling the patient,” Mayer said. “So when you’re filling a prescription every 30 seconds, you can see it’s a prescription for disaster.” The population of the study was defined as employee pharmacists in communities, governmental, academic, institutional and other settings. The survey was available for completion on the CPhA Web
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 Survey: Most California Pharmacists Satisfied with Work Conditions Slumping Economy may Delay Healthcare Reform Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 (Page 1) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 (Page 2) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Survey: Most California Pharmacists Satisfied with Work Conditions (Page 3) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Survey: Most California Pharmacists Satisfied with Work Conditions (Page 4) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Survey: Most California Pharmacists Satisfied with Work Conditions (Page 5) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Slumping Economy may Delay Healthcare Reform (Page 6) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Slumping Economy may Delay Healthcare Reform (Page 7) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Slumping Economy may Delay Healthcare Reform (Page 8) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Slumping Economy may Delay Healthcare Reform (Page 9) Drug Topics - October 20, 2008 - Slumping Economy may Delay Healthcare Reform (Page 10)
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