Thank you Pharmacy!
Beginning pharmacy school and entering the profession of pharmacy during the Covid-19 pandemic has given me an even greater respect for my chosen profession. As a second-year student and chair of Pharmacy Awareness Month (PAM) 2022 committee, I believe it is especially important to show our appreciation for the amazing work of pharmacy teams!
Throughout lockdowns pharmacy teams have had to deal with issues such as a lack of accessible PPE, and huge demands for COVID-19 vaccines, which have led to busy phone lines, and packed aisles of people waiting to get their shots. Virtual appointments have meant an endless number of prescriptions faxed from prescribers, and staffing shortages because of pharmacy team members being in isolation.
These obstacles have been stressful and difficult for the mental well-being of pharmacy team members, including pharmacy students. Many people in my profession including myself have feared contracting COVID-19 and bringing it home to loved ones, or spreading it to patients.
But while working in pharmacy and being a pharmacy student during the pandemic has been difficult I have not had doubts about my career path. If anything it has confirmed that this is the career for me. It’s encouraging to know you are making a difference in times of difficulty and chaos. For many patients, we were the only healthcare professionals accessible during lockdowns. During these past two years many people have learned that we are able to prescribe for 29 minor ailments, that we can extend and adapt prescriptions and do therapeutic substitutions.
As a profession we have demonstrated our capabilities, and justified the need for an expanded scope of practice to be able to prescribe for things that pharmacists in other provinces are able to do, like antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections.
Pharmacy Appreciation Month 2022 will be a different and interesting PAM. In keeping with public health restrictions we’ll hold online and in person events, all to highlight our appreciation for the pharmacy community. They have often been overlooked as healthcare providers who also deal with stress and burnout. During the pandemic, pharmacists and pharmacy teams have worked tirelessly, playing a major role in both COVID-19 vaccine rollouts as well as flu shot rollouts. In lockdowns pharmacies were one of the few places open and continued to be the most accessible health care providers. This has been a lot of extra work on pharmacy teams on top of their already busy work days.
Each Wednesday in March we will be hosting Wellness Wednesdays as we try to focus on mental well-being. These will include different self-care activities, as I myself as a pharmacy student working in community pharmacy understand the difficulties of maintaining self-care while working in healthcare and being in school..
We are grateful this year to be able to return to some in person events such as our Annual Public Pill drop at the Medication Therapy Services (MTS) Clinic at Tiffany Court in St. John’s, which takes place March 19.We’re also returning with our Hypertension Clinic at Kenmount Bingo in St. John’s on March 26, from 12-2pm. These are just a few of the many exciting events planned for this year’s PAM. You can follow @munpam2022 on Instagram and like MUN Pharmacy Appreciation Month 2022 on Facebook https://m.facebook.com/munpam20/ to check out our events, and take part too!