ABSTRACT
The demand for pharmacy services has increased recently, and the skills required for pharmacists have also advanced. Therefore, it is important to implement a working system in which experienced pharmacists can continue working full-time when they require child care or nursing care. In September 2016, we conducted a survey of hospital pharmacists on their work-life balance at a symposium of the 26th annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences. The purpose of this survey was to examine the current trends and issues of hospital pharmacists’ experience of work-life balance in Japan. A total of 84 responses were included for analysis. Overall, 68.4% of pharmacists reported that they were not satisfied with their work-life balance, and 65.8% reported that they were not satisfied with their working environment. In addition, 90.4% of hospital pharmacists reported they worked overtime, and 76.3% reported that their workload level at their place of practice was high; therefore, they could not complete their duties within regular work hours. Seventy four percent of hospital pharmacists answered that they will not able to continue working if they encounter life events such as childbirth and caring for children or parents. These results show that a majority of hospital pharmacists was not satisfied with their work-life balance, and they were concerned about continuing their pharmacy career when they encountered certain life events. As such, it is critical that each work place implement policies on work-life balance to further help support their pharmacists.
ABSTRACT
The demand for pharmacy services has increased recently, and the skills required for pharmacists have also advanced. Therefore, it is important to implement a working system in which experienced pharmacists can continue working full-time when they require child care or nursing care. In September 2016, we conducted a survey of hospital pharmacists on their work-life balance at a symposium of the 26th annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences. The purpose of this survey was to examine the current trends and issues of hospital pharmacists’ experience of work-life balance in Japan. A total of 84 responses were included for analysis. Overall, 68.4% of pharmacists reported that they were not satisfied with their work-life balance, and 65.8% reported that they were not satisfied with their working environment. In addition, 90.4% of hospital pharmacists reported they worked overtime, and 76.3% reported that their workload level at their place of practice was high; therefore, they could not complete their duties within regular work hours. Seventy four percent of hospital pharmacists answered that they will not able to continue working if they encounter life events such as childbirth and caring for children or parents. These results show that a majority of hospital pharmacists was not satisfied with their work-life balance, and they were concerned about continuing their pharmacy career when they encountered certain life events. As such, it is critical that each work place implement policies on work-life balance to further help support their pharmacists.
ABSTRACT
<b>Objective: </b>The present study aimed to investigate the identification codes of tablets used in clinical practice, and to clarify the influence of these codes on the differentiation of drugs brought in by patients, and those that have been dispensed as one-dose packages at Tottori University Hospital.<br><b>Methods: </b>We obtained the identification codes of tablets, which were released on the market before December 2013, based on their package inserts. Concerning drugs without identification codes, we conducted a questionnaire survey involving companies releasing these drugs in order to clarify the reasons for the absence of these codes. Among the drugs brought to the Hospital by patients who were hospitalized in 2013, we investigated the identification codes of tablets dispensed as one-dose packages, and the accuracy of the differentiation of these tablets.<br><b>Results: </b>We investigated a total of 5,797 tablets. Among the tablets in which the identification codes imprinted on one side of these tablets were the same, the other side did not have codes for 65 tablets (28 pairs), and had different codes for 1,836 tablets (198 pairs). A total of 244 tablets did not have identification codes. The most common reason for releasing drugs without such codes was the cost. Investigation of the drugs brought in by patients hospitalized revealed that some pharmacists mistook Grinolart®50 mg for Glucobay®50 mg due to them having the same code.<br><b>Conclusion: </b>To prevent the misidentification of drugs brought in by patients, hospital pharmacists need to cooperate with other hospitals and health insurance pharmacies, and dispense drugs while regarding their distinguishability as of major importance. In addition, to increase the distinguishability, identification codes need to be imprinted on both sides of tablets, and there is a need to avoid manufacturing drugs whose identification codes are the same.