DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA
29-1051 Pharmacists
Occupational Description:
Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.| Percentiles | |||||||||
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| Geography | Employment | Emp SE* | Mean | Mean SE* | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
| Southwest Balance of State | 230 | 33 | $65.42/hr | $1.64/hr | $52.79/hr | $58.31/hr | $67.62/hr | $75.08/hr | $79.56/hr |
| Minnesota | 6,520 | 619 | $63.29/hr | $0.63/hr | $50.38/hr | $57.70/hr | $67.18/hr | $74.85/hr | $79.48/hr |
| U S | 311,200 | 3,734 | $60.96/hr | $0.18/hr | $42.94/hr | $54.47/hr | $62.22/hr | $72.21/hr | $79.13/hr |
| *SE = Standard error, a measure of the statistical reliability of the estimate. | |||||||||
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| Occupation (click title for details) | OES | Projections | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | Median Wage | % Change - | |
| Physician Assistants | 60 | $58.69/hr | N/A |
| Respiratory Therapists | 30 | $34.10/hr | N/A |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Tasks for Pharmacists
- Compounds medications, using standard formulas and processes, such as weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients.
- Reviews prescription to assure accuracy and determine ingredients needed and suitability of radiopharmaceutical prescriptions.
- Plans and implements procedures in pharmacy, such as mixing, packaging, and labeling pharmaceuticals according to policies and legal requirements.
- Compounds radioactive substances and reagents to prepare radiopharmaceutical, following radiopharmacy laboratory procedures.
- Answers questions and provides information to pharmacy customers on drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and storage of pharmaceuticals.
- Calculates volume of radioactive pharmaceutical required to provide patient desired level of radioactivity at prescribed time.
- Maintains established procedures concerning quality assurance, security of controlled substances, and disposal of hazardous waste.
- Consults medical staff to advise on drug applications and characteristics and to review and evaluate quality and effectiveness of radiopharmaceuticals.
- Analyzes records to indicate prescribing trends and excessive usage.
- Verifies that specified radioactive substance and reagent will give desired results in examination or treatment procedures.
- Oversees preparation and dispensation of experimental drugs.
- Maintains records, such as pharmacy files, charge system, inventory, and control records for radioactive nuclei.
- Assays prepared radiopharmaceutical, using instruments and equipment to verify rate of drug disintegration and ensure patient receives required dose.
