MISSION and VISION, PHARMACEUTICAL CARE and ORIENTATION to the PHARMACY DEPARTMENT
Mission and vision statements are developed by businesses and other organizations initially to help in determining their purpose and goals. These statements are often modified, updated or changed significantly over time, depending on the direction the company/organization takes.
Can you guess whose mission statements these are? (Click each one to find out)
"To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful"
"To give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected"
"To provide fast and easy video access and the ability to share videos frequently"
"To provide a global platform where practically anyone can trade practically anything"
Mission Statements
Hospitals develop a mission statement specific to their own organization. In larger hospitals, pharmacy departments develop a separate mission statement which should serve as an extension of the hospital’s mission rather than detract from it. A mission statement outlines a department’s philosophy and usually contains a statement about accountability. It may also state the department’s commitment to provide a good working environment for staff. So, putting it simply, a mission statement tells what the organization or department does.
The following are three elements to creating or assessing a good mission statement. First, it is no more than a single sentence long. Second, it is easily understood by a twelve year old. And finally, it can be recited by memory. Have a look at the SJHC Mission Statement. Did they pass the "test"? Why or why not?
Vision Statements
Mission statements help to develop vision, goals and values for a hospital and/or a department within a hospital. For example, the goal of pharmacy services should be the safe use of drugs; therefore, a pharmacy's vision statement should include a statement with this clearly contained in it.
Drug-use safety is pharmacy’s utmost responsibility. Drug-use safety is defined as the sum total of the knowledge, understanding, judgments, procedures, skills, controls and ethics that assure optimal safety in distribution and use of medication.
Again, putting it simply, a vision statement tells the end result of what you (a company) will have done. It is the “ideal” and it states “what we’ll be” or “what we will become.” A vision statement is the driving force that sustains an organization or department. It is written in present tense as if it has already been accomplished. It may cover a variety of activities and is typically filled with descriptive details that anchor it to reality (see SJHC Vision & Values, LHSC Values).
Pharmaceutical Care (Pharmacy Care?)
Pharmaceutical Care is defined as: “A relationship between a patient and a pharmacist in which the pharmacist accepts responsibility for drug use control functions and provides those services governed by awareness of, and commitment to, the patients’ interests”
“The responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes that improve a patient’s quality of life. These outcomes are: 1) cure of a disease, 2) elimination or reduction of a patient’s symptomatology, 3) arresting or slowing of a disease process, 4) preventing a disease or symptomatology.” (Hepler & Strand, 1990. Opportunities and Responsibilities in Pharmaceutical Care)
Although Pharmacy Technicians are not specifically mentioned in the definition of Pharmaceutical Care, they are very much a part of it success.
The Role of the Technician in Assisting with Provision of Pharmaceutical Care
Pharmacy Technicians are valuable assets to the pharmacy department. They are directly (and often solely) involved in drug distribution duties, they are often the "experts" in the use of technology (e.g. robotics) and can be helpful in the order entry of physicians’ orders (which must be checked by a pharmacist or another technician). Hospital Technicians have been involved in “Tech Check Tech” (or independent double/final check) for refills, unit dose bins and repackaging for decades - long before the Regulated Technician role became available. Pharmacy Technicians are also involved in filling out and filing incident reports (for mistakes that happen outside of the pharmacy) and discrepancy reports (for mistakes that happen inside the pharmacy) as well as audits (of narcotics, Night Cupboard stock, floor stock and specialty stock). They are also vital in offering recommendations to improve work-flow and in noting of missed doses or missed orders while completing drug distribution duties.
Orientation to the Pharmacy Department
To fully understand the role of a hospital pharmacy department, Pharmacy Technicians need to have a general understanding of the overall organization and functioning of the department.
Formal orientations help newly hired technicians become familiar with: the department and its physical layout, other staff members, pharmacy policies and procedures and activities that contribute to the provision of services.
Orientations may include an historical overview of the training site and services, a hospital tour involving an introduction to the Human Resources and Health Services staff, a pharmacy department tour involving an introduction to the pharmacy staff, an overview of pharmacy services including the hours of operation, an overview of the departmental policies and procedures, an assigned reading of the training manual and an overview of the medication distribution system. Much of this information is freely available online. (Note: CSHP endorses unit dose and intravenous admixture systems but it may not be feasible or practical in all hospitals due to their small size)
Orientation of Pharmacy Technician Students
Orientation to the placement site is very important to pharmacy technician students. A hospital may comprise multiple sites making it even more important that students attend orientation sessions and do their part to educate themselves well before the first day of placement. Formal orientation sessions will include: hospital organization information and tours, description of pharmacy services, overview of policies and procedures, and student responsibilities and expectations. Familiarizing yourself with where to be and when is the first step.
Student responsibilities while at hospital placement include: attendance at all orientation and training sessions, familiarization with the training manual and assessment checklist, familiarization with the policies that affect rotation, attendance and knowledge of the hours of operation, following the dress code, reviewing the rotation schedule on a regular basis, having and wearing the proper identification and first and foremost studying the hospital website!
CHECKPOINT Question ONE: Hospital placement is an important part your education at Fanshawe College. In preparation for your experience, visit the website of the hospital at which you are anticipating to complete your placement in Winter 2015 (e.g. LHSC). Look for information such as: Who is the CEO? What is the Mission and Vision Statement? Is there a map of the hospital? What programs and services are available at this hospital? Is this hospital accredited? Are there patient stories available on the site? Is there more than one hospital site? What information is available about the Pharmacy Department? Are there postings for job opportunities in pharmacy?
Mission and vision statements are developed by businesses and other organizations initially to help in determining their purpose and goals. These statements are often modified, updated or changed significantly over time, depending on the direction the company/organization takes.
Can you guess whose mission statements these are? (Click each one to find out)
"To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful"
"To give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected"
"To provide fast and easy video access and the ability to share videos frequently"
"To provide a global platform where practically anyone can trade practically anything"
Mission Statements
Hospitals develop a mission statement specific to their own organization. In larger hospitals, pharmacy departments develop a separate mission statement which should serve as an extension of the hospital’s mission rather than detract from it. A mission statement outlines a department’s philosophy and usually contains a statement about accountability. It may also state the department’s commitment to provide a good working environment for staff. So, putting it simply, a mission statement tells what the organization or department does.
The following are three elements to creating or assessing a good mission statement. First, it is no more than a single sentence long. Second, it is easily understood by a twelve year old. And finally, it can be recited by memory. Have a look at the SJHC Mission Statement. Did they pass the "test"? Why or why not?
Vision Statements
Mission statements help to develop vision, goals and values for a hospital and/or a department within a hospital. For example, the goal of pharmacy services should be the safe use of drugs; therefore, a pharmacy's vision statement should include a statement with this clearly contained in it.
Drug-use safety is pharmacy’s utmost responsibility. Drug-use safety is defined as the sum total of the knowledge, understanding, judgments, procedures, skills, controls and ethics that assure optimal safety in distribution and use of medication.
Again, putting it simply, a vision statement tells the end result of what you (a company) will have done. It is the “ideal” and it states “what we’ll be” or “what we will become.” A vision statement is the driving force that sustains an organization or department. It is written in present tense as if it has already been accomplished. It may cover a variety of activities and is typically filled with descriptive details that anchor it to reality (see SJHC Vision & Values, LHSC Values).
Pharmaceutical Care (Pharmacy Care?)
Pharmaceutical Care is defined as: “A relationship between a patient and a pharmacist in which the pharmacist accepts responsibility for drug use control functions and provides those services governed by awareness of, and commitment to, the patients’ interests”
“The responsible provision of drug therapy for the purpose of achieving definite outcomes that improve a patient’s quality of life. These outcomes are: 1) cure of a disease, 2) elimination or reduction of a patient’s symptomatology, 3) arresting or slowing of a disease process, 4) preventing a disease or symptomatology.” (Hepler & Strand, 1990. Opportunities and Responsibilities in Pharmaceutical Care)
Although Pharmacy Technicians are not specifically mentioned in the definition of Pharmaceutical Care, they are very much a part of it success.
The Role of the Technician in Assisting with Provision of Pharmaceutical Care
Pharmacy Technicians are valuable assets to the pharmacy department. They are directly (and often solely) involved in drug distribution duties, they are often the "experts" in the use of technology (e.g. robotics) and can be helpful in the order entry of physicians’ orders (which must be checked by a pharmacist or another technician). Hospital Technicians have been involved in “Tech Check Tech” (or independent double/final check) for refills, unit dose bins and repackaging for decades - long before the Regulated Technician role became available. Pharmacy Technicians are also involved in filling out and filing incident reports (for mistakes that happen outside of the pharmacy) and discrepancy reports (for mistakes that happen inside the pharmacy) as well as audits (of narcotics, Night Cupboard stock, floor stock and specialty stock). They are also vital in offering recommendations to improve work-flow and in noting of missed doses or missed orders while completing drug distribution duties.
Orientation to the Pharmacy Department
To fully understand the role of a hospital pharmacy department, Pharmacy Technicians need to have a general understanding of the overall organization and functioning of the department.
Formal orientations help newly hired technicians become familiar with: the department and its physical layout, other staff members, pharmacy policies and procedures and activities that contribute to the provision of services.
Orientations may include an historical overview of the training site and services, a hospital tour involving an introduction to the Human Resources and Health Services staff, a pharmacy department tour involving an introduction to the pharmacy staff, an overview of pharmacy services including the hours of operation, an overview of the departmental policies and procedures, an assigned reading of the training manual and an overview of the medication distribution system. Much of this information is freely available online. (Note: CSHP endorses unit dose and intravenous admixture systems but it may not be feasible or practical in all hospitals due to their small size)
Orientation of Pharmacy Technician Students
Orientation to the placement site is very important to pharmacy technician students. A hospital may comprise multiple sites making it even more important that students attend orientation sessions and do their part to educate themselves well before the first day of placement. Formal orientation sessions will include: hospital organization information and tours, description of pharmacy services, overview of policies and procedures, and student responsibilities and expectations. Familiarizing yourself with where to be and when is the first step.
Student responsibilities while at hospital placement include: attendance at all orientation and training sessions, familiarization with the training manual and assessment checklist, familiarization with the policies that affect rotation, attendance and knowledge of the hours of operation, following the dress code, reviewing the rotation schedule on a regular basis, having and wearing the proper identification and first and foremost studying the hospital website!
CHECKPOINT Question ONE: Hospital placement is an important part your education at Fanshawe College. In preparation for your experience, visit the website of the hospital at which you are anticipating to complete your placement in Winter 2015 (e.g. LHSC). Look for information such as: Who is the CEO? What is the Mission and Vision Statement? Is there a map of the hospital? What programs and services are available at this hospital? Is this hospital accredited? Are there patient stories available on the site? Is there more than one hospital site? What information is available about the Pharmacy Department? Are there postings for job opportunities in pharmacy?