Pharmacists play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and quality use of medicines, as well as optimizing health outcomes for patients. They contribute to the selection, prescribing, monitoring, and evaluation of medicine therapy. Additionally, pharmacists are involved in researching, testing, and developing pharmaceuticals and medical products.

Indicative Skill Level:

In Australia and New Zealand, occupations in the Pharmacists unit group require a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor's degree or higher qualification, along with a one-year traineeship (ANZSCO Skill Level 1). Registration or licensing is also required.

Tasks Include:

• Receiving prescriptions, checking patients' medicine histories, and ensuring optimal dosage and methods of administration and drug compatibility before dispensing.
• Preparing or supervising the preparation and labeling of liquid medicines, ointments, powders, tablets, and other medications to fill prescriptions.
• Advising prescribers on drug incompatibility and contra-indications.
• Reviewing and monitoring the medicine therapy of individual patients, and assessing the effectiveness of the total medicine therapy.
• Maintaining prescription files and recording the issue of narcotics, poisons, and habit-forming drugs.
• Storing and preserving vaccines, serums, and other drugs subject to deterioration.
• Supplying non-prescription medicines, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic aids.
• Supervising and coordinating the work of Pharmacy Technicians, pharmacy interns, and Pharmacy Sales Assistants.
• Conducting research to develop and improve pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and related chemical products.
• Conferring with Chemists, Engineering Professionals, and other professionals about manufacturing techniques and ingredients.
• Testing and analyzing drugs to determine their identity, purity, and strength in relation to specified standards.
• Developing standards for drugs used in pharmaceuticals.

Occupations:

• 251511 Hospital Pharmacist
• 251512 Industrial Pharmacist
• 251513 Retail Pharmacist (alternative title: Community Pharmacist)

251511 Hospital Pharmacist

A Hospital Pharmacist prepares and dispenses pharmaceuticals, drugs, and medicines in a hospital pharmacy. Registration or licensing is required. Specialization opportunities include Pharmaceutical Officer (Army).

Skill Level: 1

251512 Industrial Pharmacist

An Industrial Pharmacist undertakes research, testing, and analysis related to the development, production, storage, quality control, and distribution of drugs and related supplies. Registration or licensing is required.

Skill Level: 1

251513 Retail Pharmacist (alternative title: Community Pharmacist)

A Retail Pharmacist, also known as a Community Pharmacist, dispenses prescribed pharmaceuticals to the public. They also educate customers on health promotion, disease prevention, and the proper use of medicines. Additionally, they sell non-prescription medicines and related goods in a community pharmacy. Registration or licensing is required.

Skill Level: 1