The (sometimes) overnight pharmacist

Sleep is a hot topic for Anousheh Page MPS, Director of Pharmacy at Brisbane’s only 24-hour pharmacy.

Why did you choose pharmacy?

Becoming a pharmacist was actually one of three options on my university application. At the time, all I really knew was that I enjoyed science-based subjects at school and also helping people (natural Virgo at heart, of course!). When it came to the pros and cons list, pharmacy felt like the best option. And I don’t have any regrets.

I absolutely love being a pharmacist. I completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Sydney and can honestly say my university experience was the best of all time, which reinforced my choice to become a pharmacist.

What led you to your current role?

I knew whilst completing my pharmacy degree that I always wanted to work within a hospital environment. My pharmacy career in hospital began after completing my internship at the Children’s Hospital, Westmead, in Sydney. In 2007, I was moving back from a hospital role on the South Coast of New South Wales when I saw a Pharmacist In Charge role advertised for Kareena Private Hospital (God’s country, aka the Sutherland Shire in southern Sydney). I was fortunate enough to be offered the role. Working within any Ramsay Health Care facility never feels like work. The hospital staff become your adopted family and you work within a well-supported multidisciplinary team. I gained experience within multiple Ramsay Hospitals and eventually landed Director of Pharmacy at Greenslopes Private Hospital.

How do you and your staff cope with the late-night and overnight hours?

In general, staff cope very well and have an amazing ability to adapt to the various hours. There is a good balance of work which flows through the hospital inpatient stream but is also complemented by the variety of community patients that come through. I personally would sleep a few hours before a shift if I knew I had to cover an overnight. Like most, I would stay awake and try and get back to a normal sleep routine for the next shift.

What are common requests from patients who visit in the wee small hours?

Patients do often come in for sleep issues at night, however what stands out the most are patients who request salbutamol inhalers. Every night can be different depending on the day of the week, but the most consistent request is salbutamol. We have had patients coming from areas like the Gold Coast or even Mount Barney (130 kilometres south-east of Brisbane, population less than 50). This really highlights the opportunity pharmacists have to be able to deliver full-scope activities such as improved asthma management – including developing an asthma action plan – particularly outside standard business hours. The second-most common would be the management of acute illnesses to treat gastroenteritis or flu-like symptoms. We have many local public facilities surrounding Greenslopes, including our own emergency department, so we service lots of patients requiring after-hours medicines.

What are your strategies to deal with barriers to overnight care?

In most scenarios we would just use our experience and clinical judgment when helping patients. Working an overnight shift is similar to working a weekend shift in some respects, so we are very accustomed to managing or referring when necessary. We are also fortunate to work in an area with late-opening medical centres and local emergency centres. This allows us to refer patients who require further review. QScript (Queensland’s real-time prescription monitoring system) has also been a game changer in helping provide better support and clinical judgement for dispensing high-risk medicines; this had often been a challenge when working outside normal hours in pharmacy.

If you could change anything about your  24-hour pharmacy, what would it be?

Coffee is the gift that keeps on giving. A barista-made coffee on hand at any hour wouldn’t be too much to ask, would it?

What’s your advice for ECPs?

It’s important to work in an environment you love. Surrounded by the right team and environment can absolutely make the difference on how you approach work. If you dread work or feel anxious before the work week, you’re not in the right job. 

A day in the life of Anousheh Page MPS, Director of Pharmacy, Greenslopes Private Hospital, QLD