Study on Role of In-patient Pharmacist in Prescribed Drug Handling, Mixing, Infusing and Spillage Handling of Chemotherapeutic Drug-Cisplatin in a Tertiary Hospital Pharmacy

Abstract

The in-patient pharmacist in a cancer hospital plays a major role in patient care especially in patient taking chemotherapy and other narrow indexed drugs as a part of cancer treatment. The pharmacist works as one of the members of cancer treatment team along with physician, oncologist, nurse and other medical professionals. An oncology pharmacist has major role in chemotherapeutic drug handling, mixing, infusing and spillage handling in a disciplined manner. In order to get hands on training about ‘‘oncology-pharmacy’’, it is a mandatory novel pharmaceutical department where a hospital pharmacist who works in oncology will have to get training in handling of chemotherapeutic drugs. The pharmacists who are interested in cancer care will involve in various facets cancer care; from chemotherapeutic drug regimen preparation, mixing of dosage regimen, infusing and finally spillage handling. Hence, it is a mandatory criterion for a graduate pharmacist to get hands on training in specialty Centre to take the responsibility as oncology in-patient pharmacist. The inpatient pharmacist can also be a clinical investigator for various clinical trials involving chemotherapeutic medication usage in patients with cancer. Current study shows that an inpatient pharmacist can play a major role in handling, mixing, infusing and spillage handling of chemotherapeutic drugs in a cancer care centre. The pharmacists are also responsible for reducing drug waste, dealing with drug shortages and reducing exposure to hazardous cytotoxic drugs. The current study suggests that the pharmacist in a cancer care hospital should specially be trained for the handling of chemotherapeutic drugs, mixing and infusion, spillage handling and wastage handling in order to provide accurate treatment for patient and to avoid untoward damage to the person who is handling.