Clinical Pharmacists TV ad: Share and spread the word!

Hospital pharmacists are chronically understaffed. Theyre overextended in caring for patients who are increasingly acutely ill when they arrive at hospital. Clinical pharmacists ... along with other health science professionals -- are concerned that a chronic recruitment and retention crisis is eroding clinical care in BC.

Clinical pharmacists have been speaking up to government representatives and reaching out to supporters about their important role in quality health care:

• Hospital pharmacists do more than count pills and dispense drugs. They ensure the best possible clinical care and treatment of patients, including advising doctors on medications. They prepare chemotherapy drugs. They collaborate with other health professionals in educating and caring for patients.

• Hospital pharmacists undergo extra training in order to perform the clinical duties required in a health care setting. Five years of post-secondary education is basic, usually with residency experience. Many have six or more years of advanced university training.

• Pharmacists ensure effective and safe treatment of patients: medication counseling, drug therapy monitoring, and diagnosing and resolving drug-related adverse effects are all part of the job. Hospital pharmacists also work to mitigate critical drug shortages and recalls. With the hospitals short-staffed, medication safety becomes a serious issue.

This excellent TV ad by the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (BC Branch) is running this month on CBC. Please share it with your friends.