Healthcare science
Ahmed’s Hospital Pharmacist: The Multi-Faced Practitioner!
Meet Ahmed, a Foundation Pharmacist at UHS with a diverse background in pharmacy spanning multiple countries. With a passion for continuous learning and development, Ahmed chose to further his career in the UK at UHS, where he's making a lasting impact on patient care.
Career Path & Motivation
I am originally an Egyptian pharmacist, who was born in Czechoslovakia, studied in Yemen, worked in Saudi Arabia, and did a professional tour in Norway before I landed in the UK. I found pharmacy to be as diverse as my cultural and professional background!
I have always been a fan of mathematics and logical thinking and initially wanted to be an engineer, but ended up studying pharmacy for its better career prospects in my home country. Out of the various pharmacy careers, hospital pharmacy was the mindful choice that allowed me to incorporate my passion for mathematics, as a logical science, into my day-to-day patient care and ultimately into all other professional and strategic aspects of hospital pharmacy practice.
When I came to the UK, UHS was the first of the 2849 Oriel training sites that I ranked in my application being one of the UK’s largest university hospitals. The scope of service provided in the Trust gave me a broad exposure opportunity under the supervision of an experienced and diverse pharmacy team. Supportive leadership, talented team members, career progress opportunities, proximity to London and diversity of the city’s population made UHS a preferred place for me to work in after I have completed my training.
Career Development & Opportunities
My training in different specialities allowed me to explore various aspects and levels of hospital pharmacy practice in the UK. Some of our senior staff contributed to medical practice in their specialities at national and international levels. Strategically, the department leadership aspires to advance the level of practice and staff capabilities to provide safe and effective care. This provides the perfect acumen for me to fulfil my aspiration for personal and professional development through continuing my post-graduate qualifications supported by a well-developed pharmacy service and expertise.
Role & Impact on Patient Care
Hospital pharmacists can impact patient care at many levels. A core responsibility is the safe supply of medications especially when it comes to preparing and supplying sterile intravenous preparations. Another important aspect is the screening of patient medications to make sure that they are suitable for the patient. Moreover, working in research and clinical trials sections supports the generation of new evidence to improve patient care. In addition and on a daily basis, we provide information to the patients, their relatives and carers, and other healthcare professionals about the safe and effective use of medications. We also contribute to the continuous professional development programmes of the pharmacy and hospital staff. Being a hospital pharmacist gives me satisfaction as I feel able to influence the lives and experiences of my patients, colleagues, and all other healthcare team members.
Challenges & Rewards
What distinguishes hospital pharmacy from other pharmacy careers and healthcare professions is the diversity of practice prospects. The umbrella of hospital pharmacy includes clinical practice, research, quality improvement and patient safety, and leadership and management. This may present a challenge as the hospital pharmacist needs always to strike the balance between fulfilling day-to-day job responsibilities, maintaining professional growth, and achieving work-life balance hence the importance of supportive leadership and cooperative team members.
Having practiced in different countries, I found that the expectations from hospital pharmacists are similar but differ in the logistics of service provision. I have always found my role as a hospital pharmacist fulfilling, rewarding, and having a significant positive impact on all service users.
Teamwork
Collaboration with doctors and nurses is the mainstay of the hospital pharmacist role. My responsibility is to make sure that the prescribed medications are suitable for managing patients' conditions and that enough supply is available. In addition, I provide medication information as needed to other healthcare team members whenever required. This ultimately helps to maintain a smooth patient flow and care. To achieve that, hospital pharmacists collaborate with pharmacy technicians and support workers to complete relevant tasks related to safe and timely preparation and supply of medications. This illustrates why teamwork is considered one of the essential abilities of the hospital pharmacist.
Advice for Aspiring Pharmacists
Choosing to be a hospital pharmacist requires dedication, continuous professional development, and a set of soft skills. Teamwork, communication skills, and time management are some of the essential skills that you need to develop if you plan to pursue a career as a hospital pharmacist. Moreover, you should be prepared to invest in your professional development as healthcare practice is an ever-evolving field. I came across many hospital pharmacists who dealt with their careers as a source of income, but those who had a lasting impact were those who always worked on their personal and professional development. It is an extremely rewarding and fulfilling career, but it comes at a high price!
