Description
Patient counseling c) Patient counseling
Definition of patient counseling; steps involved in patient counseling, and Special cases that require the pharmacist
d) Education and training program in the hospital Role of pharmacist in the education and training program, Internal and external
training program, Services to the nursing homes/clinics, Code of ethics for community pharmacy, and Role of pharmacist in the interdepartmental communication and community health education.
e) Prescribed medication order and communication skills
Prescribed medication order- interpretation and legal requirements, and Communication skills- communication with prescribers and patients.
act of asking a patient if he or she would like to speak to a pharmacist has a
very positive impact on overall patient satisfaction. And while it doesn’t necessarily increase the likelihood that the patient will request to actually speak with the pharmacist, it exhibits a sense of concern from every member of the pharmacy staff. Of course, this small step is merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg with regard to the benefit of interactions between pharmacists and staff with their patients.
‘Patient counseling’ by pharmacists is a diverse and ill-defined activity. It may, in
practice, range from simply stating the dosage of a drug and giving advice with regard to lifestyle and health promotion issues, for example smoking cessation, cholesterol testing and contraception. A pharmacist must seek to ensure that the patient or his agent understands sufficient information and advice to enable safe and effective use of medicines. This must include seeking to ensure that the directions on the labels of dispensed products are understood.
The pharmacist should be prepared and available at all times to give advice on general health matters. Patient counseling is a useful tool in reducing both medication related problems and
medication non-adherence. Another benefit of counseling is patient satisfaction. Patients feel counseling is important. Not only does it help them take their medications correctly, many
patients feel more confident about using their medications. NS is an elderly woman who is waiting at the pharmacy counter to drop off a prescription.
You’re very busy and short-staffed today so you go over and snatch the prescription out of her hand. As you are walking away you say, “It will be about an hour.” She timidly says, “Excuse me, I have a question first.” As you turn back around you let out a large sigh, roll
your eyes, and very abruptly say, “What?” Just as she begins to speak, the phone rings. You reach for it and answer it while NS is still talking. You listen to NS and the phone caller at the same time, not giving either one your full attention. How many times has a scenario like this played out in your pharmacy? Do you see any problems in the way that you’re communicating with your
Recent studies suggest that spending more time with patients at the pharmacy translates
into important improvements in their health status and in cost reductions. Patient counseling is
mostly important for those patients receiving more than a specified number of medications
usually more than four medications, patients known to have visual, hearing or literacy problems,
pediatric patients and patients on anticoagulants therapy.
Communication skills
Communication is the transfer of information meaningful to those involved. It is the process in which messages are generated and sent by one person and received and translated by another person. Good communication skills are essential to advance pharmaceutical care. Effective communication is a key component of patient counseling. A pharmacist’s communication is an important factor in patient satisfaction, perceptions of overall service quality, and trust.
Communication is much more than speaking clearly. It involves listening and understanding. It includes your tone and body language. Much can be said between individuals when no words are even spoken. In the healthcare setting, communication is extremely important. Much of the communication that takes place in the pharmacy is verbal. You spend the day talking on the phone and counseling patients. When you speak, your tone should be pleasant and respectful, your speech clear and not garbled, and your volume at an appropriate level. Non-verbal communication also includes things like facial expression and eye movement. Rolling your eyes at a question shows impatience and lack of respect. It may cause the patient to feel inferior. If your facial expression is pleasant and you are smiling, the patient will likely respond more positively than if you were scowling. Your breathing can also be a type of non-verbal communication. Heavy sighs can signal frustration and impatience. You should be aware of these cues as you communicate. Pay attention to yourself and see if your non-verbal communication says something negative while your verbal communication is positive. Active listening is important to clarify an understanding of what the patient is telling you. Active listening can be accomplished through reflection and clarification. Reflection is listening to the patient and then repeating to them in a nonjudgmental way. This allows both parties to be sure that the same thing is being discussed. Clarification is similar since it requires you to listen to the patient and then summarize what they have said. This is useful to pull out the most important parts of a longer conversation. Active listening helps to keep your focus on the speaker. Communication during drug therapy must include following points:
