Things Change

 

Nearly four decades ago I graduated pharmacy school, ready to take on the clinical world.

My first job in a chain pharmacy, typing prescriptions on an electric typewriter, filling out 3rd party insurance forms by hand; what had I gotten myself into?

Eight months later I had transitioned into hospital pharmacy; reviewing charts, consulting with physicians, rounding on patients and managing drug therapy.

Ten more years, I'm in a dream job; an outpatient clinic pharmacy for a community hospital, banker's hours and plenty of support for patient consultation.

Over the next 25 years the position blossomed into a true pharmacy care coordination position; including bedside discharge counseling with patients as well as an amazing opportunity to coordinate patient care with the discharge planners and hospitalists.

Hospital systems merge, budgets get tighter, pandemic workflow changes, and I retire after 32.5 years working with the same institution.

Shortly after retiring, at 58 years old, I began semi-retirement, which includes a part time hospital pharmacy position at our town's other community hospital.

After 25 years in retail, I am once again reviewing charts, consulting with physicians, rounding on patients and managing drug therapy in a hospital pharmacy.

Things change.