How to extract the salient points from a published clinical study
May 2012
There are millions of studies published in the medical literature each year. Being able to identify which ones are of the highest quality and most relevant to your own clinical practice is a useful skill to develop
How to prevent and manage postoperative nausea and vomiting
March 2012
Postoperative nausea and vomiting is common. Prophylactic antiemetics should be administered before surgery and, if symptoms occur despite this, treatment targeting a different receptor can also be given
How to identify and treat adults with iron deficiency anaemia
February 2012
Iron deficiency anaemia is a common condition that can be caused by low dietary intake of iron, reduced absorption, increased metabolic demand or blood loss. The mainstay of treatment is iron replacement
How to identify and manage diabetic ketoacidosis in adults
December 2011
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition, treatment of which involves fluid administration and continuous insulin infusions
How to screen people for possible depression
October 2011
Pharmacists working in any setting, but particularly in community pharmacy, can do much to raise the profile of good mental healthHow to screen prescriptions for adults taking antiretroviral drugs
July/August 2011
Tackling a prescription for a patient with HIV might seem daunting for non-specialist pharmacists, but by following some basic steps you can ensure the prescribed regimen is accurate and safe to dispense
How to conduct a clinical audit
May 2011
Clinical audit is undergoing a process of reinvigoration and its profile has never been higher. What do you need to know to carry one out so that it achieves its aim of improving patient care?
How to interpret arterial blood gas results
March 2011
Understanding acid-base balance and interpreting arterial blood gas results can be complex, but they are useful skills for clinical pharmacists
How to reduce medicines waste
January 2011The need for efficiency savings in the NHS?means that all departments will be looking for ways to cut costs. Reducing medicines waste is one way that pharmacy teams can help control drug spending
How to select a wound dressing
November 2010Some dressings are classed as pharmaceuticals, yet many pharmacists do not feel confident providing wound-care advice. This article offers some tips on how to select an appropriate dressing
How to write an article about your work (and get it published)
September 2010Writing an article about a service or an initiative is a good way to share what you have done. Without trying to present the work as a piece of research, you can communicate your message with creativity
How to screen an antibiotic prescription
June 2010You are new to the ward and many of your patients are prescribed antibiotics. Here are some tips to help you check the therapy is apt
How to approach a medicines query relating to breastfeeding
April 2010Questions regarding a medicine’s suitability for breastfeeding mothers are often directed at pharmacists. Two MI pharmacists who specialise in this field share their approach to addressing such queries
How to prepare for and contribute to a consultant's ward round
February 2010Do you spend hours scouring patient notes to determine the indication for a prescribed medicine or chasing doctors to correct prescribing errors? Perhaps you should join the consultant’s ward round.
How to use "trigger drugs" to help identify adverse medication events
December 2009Although increasing numbers of adverse medication events are being reported to the National Patient Safety Agency, many such occurrences still go unreported. Is there more pharmacists could be doing?
How to interpret spirometry readings
October 2009Spirometry is necessary for correctly diagnosing patients with respiratory disorders, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. But spirometry alone cannot ensure the assessment is accurate.
How to interpret liver function tests
September 2009Patients with abnormal liver function tests are encountered commonly by pharmacists. It is therefore helpful to know how to amend patients’ treatments and when such amendments might be necessary.
How to ensure the correct inhaler device is selected for each patient
July/August 2009Guidance for choosing the right inhaled medicine for respiratory diseases is plentiful, but advice on choosing an inhaler device is sparse. This article looks at how to decide which device is appropriate.
How to treat a patient whose INR is too high
June 2009Pharmacists have the skills to identify patients whose INRs are too high. It is also useful to know how to deal with such situations.
How to avoid the pitfalls associated with continuous IV insulin infusions
May 2009“Sliding scale” insulin infusions are commonplace in hospitals. This article offers some tips to help clinical pharmacists ensure potential mishaps around continuous intravenous insulin are avoided.
How to approach prescriptions for patients with renal impairment
April 2009Clinical pharmacists regularly encounter patients with compromised renal function. A basic understanding of renal disease is necessary to ensure prescriptions for such patients are appropriate.
How to manage breakthrough pain
March 2009Many people with chronic pain suffer unnecessarily because their analgesic needs are poorly met. This article explains how to calculate appropriate breakthrough doses for patients with opioid-sensitive pain.
How to interpret electrocardiograms
February 2009An electrocardiogram can sometimes reveal problems with a patient’s medicines. Basic interpretation of ECGs is a useful skill for clinical pharmacists working in secondary care to acquire.
How to take an accurate medication history when a patient is admitted
January 2009Obtaining an accurate medication history is an essential part of medicines reconciliation. This PRACTICE TOOL looks at how to find out what patients are really taking when they are admitted to hospital.
