An award-winning chapter of UNMC pharmacy students is celebrating National Pharmacy Week in several ways, and wants to let patients know where they can come to get the best information about their medications.
“Pharmacists are patients’ best and most accessible medication experts,” said Paula Svoboda, a third-year College of Pharmacy student and president of the American Pharmaceutical Association-Academy of Students of Pharmacy (APhA-ASP) chapter at UNMC. “When the patient keeps the pharmacist up-to-date on all prescription and nonprescription medications being taken and asks important questions, the pharmacists can monitor the patient’s treatment and help guarantee a healthy result.”
UNMC ASP chapter members are recognizing the importance of the pharmacists’ role with several activities during National Pharmacy Week (Oct. 20-26). Those include:
- The proclamation of National Pharmacy Week at noon on Monday, Oct. 21. The proclamation prepared by Gov. Mike Johanns will be read by Lt Gov. Dave Heineman. In addition, Heineman and U.S. Rep. Lee Terry will make remarks at the ceremony at the College of Pharmacy building.
- Students will give influenza immunizations from Oct. 16 through Oct. 28 at three Kohll’s Pharmacy locations: 84th and Center streets, 50th and Dodge streets and 127th and Q streets. In addition, the chapter is involved in giving flu shots to UNMC/NHS employees through its Operation Immunization project. The projects have brought recognition to the College of Pharmacy ASP chapter at national APhA conferences. Last year, the students received the national Division AAA chapter achievement award, along with regional awards for its health screenings.
- On Oct. 26-27, UNMC fraternity Kappa Epsilon and Kohll’s Pharmacy will team up at Westroads Mall. They will provide osteoporosis screening for $10, as well as free blood pressure screenings. They will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27.
These activities are in addition to an extensive list of community projects in which the ASP chapter already is involved. A new twist this fall on the Operations Diabetes project, Svoboda said, is that students soon will begin taking the screenings to communities across Nebraska. The students will travel to West Point on Oct. 26, Ashland on Nov. 23, and to Columbus and Nebraska City this spring.
Svoboda said the screenings help the students gain experience in their professional health-care roles. Pharmacists are more than dispensers of medications, she said. They also can provide medication-counseling services, including drug regimen reviews and drug interaction checks, coordination of patient care with physicians and other health-care providers, and monitoring of side effects.
“There’s a lot we can do to ensure the health of consumers of medications, and consumers should expect a higher level of service from today’s pharmacists,” Svoboda said.