Pharmacy students have several important roles and responsibilities in providing patient care, including processing prescriptions appropriately, preparing pharmaceutical products, communicating health information to patients, and providing non-pharmacological awareness. Students are expected to assess patients, identify problems related to their medications, and exhibit a strong understanding of drug mechanisms and interactions to ensure proper care. Participating in associations and writing articles are ways for pharmacy students to improve health care and better prepare for their roles in caring for patients.

2. THE ROLE OF PHARMACY STUDENT TOWARDS
PATIENT CARE
Patient care according to the institute of medicine is is the process of providing care
that is respectful and responsive to the individual patient preference, need and values and
ensuring that patient values all clinical decision.patient care may be in form of
medication provision, education, counseling and construction of positive mentality in
patients.both pharmacists and pharmacy student are entrusted with crucial roles to plat
towards patient care.
A student is a person formally engaged in learning especially the one enrolled at
school,college or university he or she is expected to study,investigate and examines
thoughtful on topics related to life general.
Pharmacy is the store where medicinal drugs are dispensed and sold.it can also be
referred to as science or practice of of preparation and dispensing of medicinal drugs.
A pharmacy student is therefore any individual studying the science of drugs and
medicine.such an individual is expected to to a pharmacist with unique training and
expertise in the appropriate use of medication and provide a wide array of of patient care
service in many different practice setting.these services reduces adverse drugs
event,improve patient safety and optimize medication use and health outcomes.
a pharmacy student have the following responsibility to the patient during clinical
rotation,internship or any other academic year of study
Process new and refill prescription appropriately.during pharmacy practice a student
is expected to utilize the patient profile to asses the prescription for allergies,drug
interaction,contraindication of use,dosage and potential for adverse.central point of
analysis should be legality,dosage from,administration route,duration of therapy and
direction of use.communication,prescription transfer and pharmaceuticals calculation are
the key elements under this role.
Preparation of pharmaceutical products for dispensing to patients.a curriculum role
for attainment of skills for thus role by pharmacy student is the field system adapted by
various universities and colleges.field expose students on knowing how to prepare
drugs,raw materials for drugs preparation and classification of synthetics and natural
herbs.through this practice pharmacy student is assured with the ability to select
appropriate medication basing on strength,dosage form and amount using concepts of
pharmaceutics.it also allows knowing the five principles of drug delivery.these are the
right drug, right patient, right dose, right time and right route
Communicate health information to the patient.it includes assessment of patient
health beliefs and literacy.each individual person has a belief on something relating to
life.it may be positive or negative.negative beliefs hinder an individual to access health
care and consequently leading to health deterioration.one of the role of pharmacy student
is to apply effective verbal communication when advising counseling and educating
patients about their medication.this may be done during clinical rotation and dispensing
session that are being attended by pharmacy student as part of their study.counseling
should base on proper medication dosing,direction of use,length of therapy,storage
instruction and medication side effects.handling questions from patient be part of the role
of pharmacy student.

3. Provision of non-pharmacological awareness.not all disease requires medication
example hypertension.this is the case that can be avoided in a very well controlled
mechanism without involving the use of medicine.ignorance is bliss.many people are
sufferers as the are not aware of how to avoid it.through different groups and association
that are formulated by pharmacy students in colleges and university, non-pharmacological
awareness can be raised to standards.this is done by pharmacy students who are expected
to developed and communicate non pharmacological treatment plan.examples include
diet,exercise,sleep hygiene,home monitoring based on patient specific factors as
age,sex,work schedule and financial resources available.a realistic example is the
pharmacy week conducted by MUHAS pharmacy student
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Participate in services provided by pharmacist.this include adherence counseling,
immunization services, disease screening, community health fair, patient home visits,
medication therapy management services, collaborative practice agreements and chronic
disease state management.this widen the mind of students and provide them with the
opportunity to participate in health care provision to the patients either through giving
ideas or through action.this allows stipulation of new mechanisms and rectification of
weaknesses that are being accounted in the process of patient care process.
Asses patient appropriately. according to the role of a pharmacist in extended health
care system in Tanzania a pharmacist is not meant only to dispense drugs in hospital
stores but also to participate in crucial roles pertaining to patient care.as a pharmacy
student is preparing to be pharmacist with authorized and assigned tasks,it is then very
wise to put down the role assessing the patient on the following.signs and symptoms of
patient complaints and disease, allergies,medication and immunization history, and
physical assessment.analysis of all these leads to a conclusion on patient care that is
sufficient, sustainable and beneficial to patient health.
Identify and prioritize patients problems.such problems may be related to patient
medications.they include problems related to indication, unnecessarily drugs therapy,
additional drug therapy, needed effectiveness, different product requirement , dosage
amount and interaction and inadequate patient knowledge.analysis of these elements
ensure proper patient care by a pharmacy student
Exhibition of a firm understanding of drugs manufacture, supply and mechanisms of
drugs actions on therapy.the understanding of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, dose and
route of administration, contraindication and precaution, adverse reactions,
interaction,monitoring efficiency and toxicity and cost of therapy is all that is needed and
very essential for any pharmacist and pharmacy student for proper patient care.adequate
and relevant understanding of the above concepts by a pharmacy student is an indication
that such a student is capable of fully participating in patient care effectively and
successfully.this smoothen the road towards improvement of patient health.
Participate in associations, writing aiming at improving health care to the
patient.there are various association that pharmacy student can participate.these are
TAPSA(Tanzania pharmaceuticals student association), IPS(international students
association) and so many others just to mention a few.through these association student
will be able to educate the society through well planned programs such as community
outreach and events such as pharmacy weeks.all these are under pharmaceuticals students
association.not only that but also student will be trained on how best patient care can be

4. handled in a very effective and professional manner to maximize beneficial aspects of
patient care.on putting in practice patient care attainment is made possible.
dsfdParticipating in writing such as essays competitions to stipulation of new ideas and
mechanisms by which pharmacy council and settings can put in practice and bring
enormous positive health impacts towards patient care.
Formal presentation to community groups , newsletters articles, patient education
document or flip chart, creation of diseases state management protocol/program all these
leads to raising awareness and possible alternative to patient care strategies not only to
patient but also to authorized pharmaceutical settings and organizations aiming
improving and strengthening patient care.
Conduct oneself in a professional and ethical manner when interacting with patients
and health care professional.this enables pharmacy students to earn trust from the patients
and create a conducive environment where a patient is capable of sharing the innermost
problems and complication related to medication.this includes maintaining both
appearance and good behavior all the times, respect one another, confidentiality relating
to the patient information and displaying honesty.accountability and developing the habits
consistent to life long learning.this is to be observed highly by student on clinical
rotations and internship as well as those who have not reached these levels as very thing
requires a proper foundation.
Conclusively there are various calls, task, roles that have not yet be accomplished by
the present day pharmacists.this is due to the mentality that a pharmacist is only for
dispensing in hospital.accountability, self esteem and self awareness and facilitation to
pharmacy students is highly required.mentality of dispensing even to the graduates from
university is still hindering the filed of pharmaceutics.drug designing and discovery In
industries and those in herbal forms are still not yet utilized and exploited to the standards
to meet patient needs.i call upon my fellow students to participate in association, writing
and proposals to pharmacy councils and setting so as our roles may be well accounted
and authorized.through association we will be able to understand where the weaknesses
are in pharmacy practice and make possible amendments.responsibility, hard work and
commitment is all we need to bring changes in our pharmacy career and and impacts our
skills and knowledge towards patient care process.