Survey on Attitudes of Hospital Pharmacists and Pharmacy Students Regarding Their Involvement in Taking Vital Signs and Medical Emergency Procedures

The taking of vital signs and medical emergency procedures are taught as a part of bedside practice at the Department of Pharmacy of Kyushu University of Health and Welfare to aid pharmacists in providing medication for patients.Conducting a survey on the attitudes of hospital pharmacists and pharmacy students regarding their involvement in checking vital signs and medical emergency procedures produced the following results.Both hospital pharmacists and pharmacy students at our university were very interested in learning how to take vital signs and medical emergency procedures,in order to expand their role in treating patients.Hospital pharmacists were more aware of the need to have injection sets for pharmacists and instruction in emergency procedures than students.The taking of vital signs enables pharmacists to understand the conditions of patients better and helps them to evaluate drug efficacy and adverse effects.It also allows pharmacists to be more active members of the medical team and optimizes their role in patient-centered care.