Nuclear pharmacy is a specialty that involves handling and preparing radioactive materials for therapeutic treatment. Special training is required, and nuclear pharmacists work in specialized environments to ensure safety. They do not work directly with the public and follow precise protocols to reduce the risk of errors.
Nuclear pharmacy is a pharmaceutical specialty that focuses on the handling and preparation of radioactive materials used in therapeutic treatment. These materials are used to treat a wide range of medical problems, with many people being more familiar with them in the context of cancer treatment and medical imaging, and special training is required to work with them. Since 1978, nuclear pharmacy has been recognized as its own specialty within the broader field of pharmacy, with special training requirements for individuals wishing to be certified in this area.
Nuclear pharmacists train as pharmacists and receive additional education in radioactive materials. This training includes discussions of how they work, precautions for safe handling, legal issues related to radioactive isotopes used in medicine, and so on. Nuclear pharmacy training is designed to familiarize pharmacists with these materials so they can work safely and comfortably on pharmacy tasks.
Large institutions such as teaching hospitals and large hospitals may have their own nuclear pharmacy, which is usually isolated to limit the risk of exposure to hazardous materials. When radioactive isotopes are needed, they are ordered from the nuclear pharmacy and prepared by the staff present. In other cases, institutions order from a large, centralized nuclear pharmacy that supplies multiple institutions that cannot support their own nuclear pharmacies. In this case, the radioactive isotopes are shipped to their final destination by pharmacy personnel.
Specialized equipment is used in a nuclear pharmacy to provide shielding for personnel. From the moment the materials enter the pharmacy until the moment they are dispensed, they are tightly controlled and a series of safety protocols are followed so that people know at all times where the materials are and so that the materials are adequately shielded. Pharmacists should be comfortable with composing and preparing medicines for administration and working in a secure environment.
Working in this specialty pharmacy can actually be less stressful than working in a general pharmacy, despite the presence of radioactive materials. As a general rule, nuclear pharmacists do not work directly with the public and their work tends to be slower. The precise protocols they follow ensure safety and comfort, and greatly reduce the risk of dispensing the wrong drug, mixing a drug improperly, or experiencing other problems. For people who enjoy methodical work and who have an interest in nuclear medicine, nuclear pharmacy jobs can be very rewarding.
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