1. Safety in the Pharmacy

3. Personal safety Safety from physical harm Substances
Supplies (chemicals, poisons, etc.)
Equipment
Improper body mechanics

4. Personal safety Employee Responsibilities Maintain a safe work place
apply principles of proper body mechanics
Wear appropriate PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) when indicated
Follow proper procedures in handling pharmaceutical agents that may pose a hazard to the practitioner
Know and apply the policies and procedures in case of emergency

5. Environmental Safety Clean work place Proper ventilation
Proper lighting
Adequate set-up and layout of work place
Proper functioning equipment

6. Regulatory Agencies
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
Pharmacy Boards

7. Safe Practices

8. Patients trust pharmacy personnel to:
Provide accurate and competent service
Provide safe and effective medications
Dispense according to prescriber’s directions

9. Pharmacist must ensure:
Right drug
Right patient
Right dosage
Right route
Right time
Right attitude

10. Practitioner must be familiar with:
Common side effects
Contraindications
Drug or food reactions with medications
Generic drugs that may be substituted

11. Practitioner should know…
Practitioner should know at minimum the following information for the drugs most used in individual practice setting or geographical location
Adverse drug reactions
Side effects
Contradictions
Safe/effective dosage range
Drug/food interactions
Common dosage regimens
Dosage forms
Route of administration

12. Beware of Dispensing Errors!!