Pharmacy is the health care profession that deals with the dispensing of medications. It’s the one who helps patients with their health issues and also provides them with the medicine they need. This is why it’s important to be familiar with medical terminology related to pharmacy. You must know the difference between a pharmacist and a doctor.
If you are a pharmacist, then you need to understand medical terminology. When you don’t understand medical terminology, it can be not easy to write prescriptions correctly. You can get stuck in the middle of a drug, potentially leading to legal problems.
As a pharmacist, you need to know the most common medical terms that patients use.
When we talk about medication, the first thing that comes to mind is prescription drugs. But, as a pharmacist, you need to know some basic medical terminology to answer questions accurately and help people with their medications. This video will show you all the words you need to know to talk about drugs with patients and make appropriate recommendations.
Medical terms explained
First of all, let’s define what medical terminology is. Medical terminology is the words doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals use to discuss medical conditions and treatments.
For example, when a patient asks if they have “osteoarthritis,” you can say, “Yes, you do.” Or you can say, “Yes, it is an inflammatory condition.” That is medical terminology.
You can use medical terminology in the following ways:
When writing prescriptions.
When talking with your patients about medical conditions.
When talking with your patients about treatments.
When talking with other healthcare professionals.
When talking with insurance companies.
When talking with other healthcare providers.
When talking with your lawyer.
When talking with your accountant.
When talking with your tax preparer.
Pharmaceutical terminology explained
The medical world is a very technical and complex industry.
There are thousands of medical terms that you need to know if you are working in this field. There are also hundreds of other words you may not be familiar with.
Pharmacists, in particular, need to know these words because they have a lot of contact with patients and doctors.
They must know the right things to say and write when prescribing medications.
For example, they need to know the difference between the following words:
- prescription
- pharmacy
- medication
- medicine
- drug
- dosage
- dosages
- cough syrup
- cough drop
- cold medicine
- antibiotic
- vaccine
- vaccine schedule
- steroid
- medicine cabinet
- prescription medication
- medications
- medication
- drug
- drug class
- drug interactions
- drug administration
- drug formulation
- drug interaction
- drug metabolism
- drug delivery
- drug absorption
- drug elimination
- drug dosage
- drug overdose
- drug administration
- drug interactions
- drug therapy
- drug dose
- drug interaction
- drug metabolism
- drug formulation
- drug delivery
- drug absorption
- drug elimination
- drug overdose
- drug therapy
- drug dose
- drug interaction
- drug metabolism
- drug formulation
- drug delivery
- drug absorption
- drug elimination
- drug overdose
- drug therapy
- drug dose
- drug interaction
- drug metabolism
- drug formulation
- drug delivery
- drug absorption
- drug elimination
- drug overdose
- drug therapy
- drug dose
- drug interaction
Pharmacy Practice
As a pharmacist, you ensure patients get the best possible care.
Your role includes diagnosing illnesses, prescribing medications, and administering treatments.
You also help educate patients on the proper use of their medication.
You need to understand medical terminology because it is part of your pharmacy practice.
Medication therapy
When we talk about medication therapy, we talk about how drugs and treatments are given to patients.
You should know the common medications that your patients are taking.
You must be aware of any possible interactions between medications and ensure that you prescribe the correct medications.
Medication therapy is vital in pharmacy practice.
Fequently asked questions about Medical Terminology
Q: What does “Biopsy” mean?
A: Biopsy means taking a sample of tissue or cells from the body.
Q: What does “Prostate Cancer” mean?
A: Prostate cancer means that the prostate gland has begun growing abnormally.
Q: How is a patient diagnosed with prostate cancer?
A: A patient is diagnosed with prostate cancer by looking for the signs of cancer through a PSA test and a digital rectal exam.
Q: What is the difference between “Screening” and “Diagnosis”?
A: Screening means looking for problems, while diagnosis means finding problems.
Q: What is “Pap Smear”?
A: Pap smear is a test used to examine the cells of the cervix and can be used to find cervical cancer.
Q: How do you know if you have an infection?
A: The first thing to remember is that fever and chills are usually the first symptoms to appear when someone is infected with a virus. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you have a fever and chills. It is also healthcare to realize that fever is a symptom, not an indicator. A person can have a fever and still have no symptoms. In addition, a person can have no symptoms and still have a fever. Therefore, when considering the possibility of an infection, always rule out other causes of fever or febrile symptoms.
Top Myths about Medical Terminology
- Medical terminology is difficult and confusing.
- Medical terminology is difficult to remember.
- Medical terminology is important.
- If you don’t know the term, then you can’t treat it.
Conclusion
If you’re a pharmacist or looking to become one, you’ve probably heard about medical terminology. It seems to be a requirement for many healthcare positions.
That’s because the job of a pharmacist involves reading medical literature and being able to explain complex concepts to patients in plain language.
As a result, pharmacists need to understand medical terminology and be able to explain it to patients.
Medical terminology is defined as the study of medical terms and their definitions. Medical terminology includes the analysis of medical words and phrases and the study of the relationships between them.
The field has been growing since the early days of medicine, but the number of people who use it professionally is relatively small. Only a small percentage of pharmacists use medical terminology daily.
That doesn’t mean it’s not useful for those who use it. On the contrary, knowing medical terminology can save pharmacists money.
