Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy

Book excerpt: This comprehensive, first-of-its kind title is an indispensable resource for pharmacists looking to learn or improve crucial patient assessment skills relevant to all pharmacy practice settings. Pharmacists’ role as health care practitioners is evolving as they are taking a more active part in primary patient care -- helping patients manage their medications and diseases, providing patient education, and, in some jurisdictions, prescribing and adapting medications. To perform their day-to-day duties, pharmacists are best-served using a framework called the patient care process. This framework involves three steps: patient assessment; care plan development and implementation; and monitoring and follow up. Organized in four parts, this practical book begins with introductory chapters regarding the basics of patient assessment and the patient care process. Part II includes a detailed assessment of common symptoms encountered by pharmacists. Part III discusses assessment of patients with various chronic illnesses. Part IV addresses select specialized topics and assessment considerations. An invaluable contribution to the literature, Patient Assessment in Clinical Pharmacy: A Comprehensive Guide will be of great benefit to pharmacists, regardless of their practice setting, and to pharmacy students as well.