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Clinical radiopharmacy: principles and practices
B A Rhodes1, W B Hladik, J P Norenberg
1College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, and RhoMed, Inc, Albuquerque 87109-5802, USA.
Seminars in Nuclear Medicine
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Radiopharmacists dedicate a small portion of their time to clinical activities, typically 5-20%. Many see a need to increase patient-care responsibilities in nuclear pharmacy practice.
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Pharmacy
- Radiopharmaceutical Sciences
- Clinical Pharmacy Practice
Background:
- Radiopharmacists play a crucial role in nuclear medicine.
- Understanding their time allocation in clinical activities is essential for optimizing pharmaceutical care.
- Current practice settings influence the extent of clinical engagement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the percentage of time radiopharmacists spend on clinical activities.
- To identify specific clinical tasks undertaken by radiopharmacists.
- To explore the perceived need for increased clinical involvement.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted among radiopharmacists.
- Data collected included time spent on various activities.
- Specific clinical roles and patient interactions were documented.
Main Results:
- On average, radiopharmacists spend 17.2% of their time in clinical activities in institutional settings and 8.5% in centralized nuclear pharmacies.
- Most radiopharmacists spend 5-20% of their time on clinical duties, with a few engaging up to 50%.
- Clinical activities range from direct patient education and dose administration to indirect chart reviews and professional consultations.
Conclusions:
- A significant portion of surveyed radiopharmacists perceive a need to expand their clinical roles.
- There is an opportunity to enhance pharmaceutical care by increasing radiopharmacist involvement in patient-centered activities.
- Recommendations for expanding patient-care responsibilities are proposed.