No matter what the practice, patient care and safety are top priorities of psychiatric pharmacists. Most psychiatric pharmacists spend the bulk of their time consulting with physicians, psychiatrists, or neurologists. Other core responsibilities can include:
- Teaching pharmacy, nursing and medical students / residents / practitioners
- Conducting medication education groups for consumers
- Educating patients and families on psychiatric medications, as well as psychiatric disorders and other related conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, various neurologic diseases like stroke, headaches, seizure disorders, or movement disorders)
- Assisting in formulary decisions for public and private institutions
- Working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to optimize drug therapy
- Providing direct patient care including treatment assessment and medication management activities
- Monitoring for potential adverse drug reactions and interactions
- Evaluating and educating others on medical literature
- Conducting original research (e.g., clinical trials, pharmacogenomics, epidemiology)
- Publishing in peer-reviewed journals / books
- Engaging in patient advocacy efforts both independently and with consumer groups (e.g., NAMI)
