Pharmacy U news

A recent Canadian Pharmacist Association national survey on pharmacists’ mental health revealed some disturbingly negative results with many of us at risk of leaving the profession and others currently looking elsewhere for work. It points to us having to ask ourselves bigger questions to help navigate from here.

It’s important to remember that the role of the pharmacist has always been clinical, but now there is increased awareness, and public expectations have finally aligned with what we’ve been capable of offering for a long time. Our role in public health is being accessed and utilized in a variety of ways and at a greater volume.

Pharmacy owners invariably enter into a variety of agreements as part of the normal course of business. Unfortunately, we see many owners who have not read their contracts before they sign them. This is always a bad idea because what you don’t know can hurt you!

I became a pharmacist because of my love of science and people. Plus, I love the idea of continual learning. There is so much to discover about pharmacy as a career, how to interact with our patients and new, innovative medicines. Sometimes, though, we stumble on interesting information about new ways our bodies and medicine interact that we can’t help sharing with others.

When it comes to our leadership, there is a point that we really struggle to move past. And we will never move past that point unless we go through the discomfort of growth.

Pharmacy leaders appreciate that some percentage of their Rx count is predictable and the rest is unpredictable. The leverage comes in pushing the scale toward the predictable side

When it comes to becoming a better leader, we understand that this process is not automatic. It doesn’t just happen. It takes intentional effort. There is no minimum or maximum time it takes to become a good leader. I would say that it is an ongoing process.

Science communication on social media platforms is a powerful tool that can be used to increase the health literacy of our patients, elevate the profile of our profession, and even serve to complement the knowledge of our peers. However, a good dose of caution is always warranted.