Pharmacists are a crucial component of the contemporary healthcare system. They have a crucial role to play in ensuring the good health and well-being of the people belonging to the local communities they operate in. Nabil Fakih points out that subsequent to the diagnosis of certain ailments or conditions, patients visit a pharmacist to acquire the medications they need. It is the responsibility of the pharmacists to make sure that the right medicine and dosage have been provided to the patients. In many cases, people facing certain health issues try to seek advice from a pharmacist even before visiting a doctor.
Even though many people think that the job of a pharmacist just involves picking up the right medicine from the shelf and handing it out to the customer, so is not the case. Nabil Fakih mentions that the responsibilities of a pharmacist are actually quite complex, and they need to acquire a wide range of skills to be effective in their role. Mr. Fakih himself is a pharmacist based in Dearborn Heights, and hence is well aware of the qualities and traits needed to be competent in this profession.
Here are some of the important qualities of a good pharmacist as pointed out by Nabil Fakih:
- Accuracy: There is no room for error in the pharmaceutical industry, as even a small mistake can have a severe negative impact on the health of the patients. In case a patient is provided with a wrong medicine or incorrect dosage, their health can deteriorate significantly. Hence, pharmacists should always pay keen attention to detail, and maintain accuracy in all their tasks, right from reading the abysmal handwriting of the doctors to correctly measuring ingredients.
- Proper interpretation: There might be cases where doctors forget to check for drug interactions or typing errors are made by nurses preparing electronic prescriptions. Pharmacists must have the confidence and skills to accurately interpret the phrasing, intent, handwriting, and spellings of the prescribing doctors or nurses.
- Good memory: To become a competent pharmacist, having a good memory is extremely crucial. These professionals ideally have to remember drug nomenclature, side effects, and interactions between various medications properly.
- Detail-oriented: Pharmacists much be systematic and detailed oriented in their approach. They must not get the medications of the patients mixed up in any scenario.
- Interpersonal skills: Coming across frustrated and impatient patients is not uncommon for pharmacists. Hence, they must develop a certain level of patience and diplomacy to be able to deal with various types of patients in an effective manner, without losing their cool. They should always be compassionate in their approach.
- Communication skills: This is among the vital parts of the job of any pharmacist. These professionals are required to clearly communicate several vital details to the patients; including how and when they should take their medication.
By properly honing the qualities mentioned above, a pharmacist can cater to the patients with utmost competency.
