Health Care Interview

Health Care Interview

A department manager is responsible for the overall functioning of his department as well as the employees (Brown, 2006). The duties of department managers vary according to organizations and the area he oversees. All department managers have a task of supervising their department, boosting employee morale and giving reports to the general managers of the organization (Puckett and Byers, 2004). The interview took place at the Florida Hospital Orlando. The interviewee was the manager of the pharmacy department. A pharmacy department manager should ensure every staff has a patient-centered approach when carrying out their duties (Gulseth, 2006). He was very cooperative and gave extensive detail for each question. The department is well known in Orlando for its quality service. The purpose of the interview was to find out the unique features that enable the department to thrive in the health industry.

Interview

I am a pharmacy student at the University of Phoenix and would like to acquire information about the hospital’s Pharmacy Department. This information will assist me in enhancing my career and also contribute to my final proposal.

What are the main tasks in your department?

The main tasks in this department are to purchase, supply and distribute medication and pharmaceuticals, dispensing inpatient and outpatient, clinical and ward dispensing, educating on the use of drugs. The department also offers a drug formulary that guides the hospital doctors. It also supervises reviews on drug-use in wards.

What is your primary responsibility?

My primary responsibility is to ensure that all drugs are always available in the hospital drug store and that all the employees in my department maintain an excellent rapport.

What other responsibilities do you have?

It is my duty to give daily and monthly reports to the general manager of the hospital concerning the progress of the department. I also help in recruiting staff. I also set the goals of my department and ensure that every employee understands their role in meeting the overall targets of the hospital.

Who are the department’s customers?

The department’s customers include inpatients and outpatients.

What was your career path to this point?

I have a very long career path. I started as a teacher in a medical school. I realized that teaching was not my calling, so I went back to college did Pharmacy to enhance my career. I was employed in a hospital in San Diego as a pharmacist. The place was not convenient for me because it was far from my residential place, so I applied for a job in this hospital. Luckily, I got a chance to be a pharmacist. I worked for five years in the same position and was later promoted to be an employee representative in my department. After two years I got another promotion and became the assistant department manager. The department manager got a transfer and I automatically became the manager.

What are the educational requirements for the position?

Individuals require a bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Additional training such as geriatrics pharmacology and biomedical research are also advantageous.

Did your education adequately prepare you for the various facets of your job?

My education adequately prepared me for various facets of the job. For instance, my teaching background helps me deal with people of different capacities and characters. I taught in an international school, so I understand a number of languages. My pharmaceutical knowledge enables me to understand the needs of our customers and also offer the most appropriate medication for our customers.

What educational preparation would you recommend?

Students should carry out extensive research in the field of pharmacy before they finish their studies. This will help them to familiarize with the job and the requirements that will enhance their opportunities. They should also be prepared to learn various skills such as customer relations to enable them deal with the clients because they have different characteristics. Some are stubborn while others act like they know the appropriate medication they should get.

What are similar positions like in other organizations?

Similar positions may be hectic in some organizations, especially when the department has inadequate staff. This makes the staff to work overtime and their duties are more than they can handle. This creates problems for the department manager because his area does not meet the targets of the organization. The department manager is not part of the recruitment team in some organizations. This is inappropriate because the department manager knows the correct people needed in his area, so he should also help in making decisions. A department may get employees who are not suitable for the recommended jobs and this brings problems to the department manager.

What is the most important attribute for success in your position?

I am extremely hard working and focused. I ensure that I meet all the goals of the department and everything is delivered in time.

How do you see this position adapting to changes in health care?

This position will adapt to the changes in health care because individuals have to always find appropriate measures to deal with current situation they also have to be flexible to accommodate any change in the department. People should also be open-minded to acquire new ideas that will enhance their lives.

How do you interact with other staff members in your environment?

I always try to be as neutral as possible. I treat all staff equally and ensure that they all have a proper working environment. I also try to be friendly to create a lasting and trustworthy relationship.

Have any of your employees had a disagreement?

My employees rarely have disagreements but there must be one or two instances in any working environment. I have dealt with only one instance.

What was the major cause of the disagreement?

A female employee complained that her male counterpart was treating her unfairly because she refused to give in to his sexual demands.

How did you resolve the issue?

I asked the male employee to confirm whether he had made sexual advancements to the female. He confessed that he was attracted to the lady and wanted to have a relationship with her but the lady refused. I reminded him that the female employee has her rights and he should obey them. I also advised him to find someone else to help him forget about the female employee. He realized his mistake and apologized to the lady. I separated the two employees to avoid further disagreements; the male dealt with inpatients while the female dealt with outpatients.

What are some of the challenges you face in your department?

Sometimes I have to work extra hours to meet the daily goals of my department.

What is your role in the context of the broader health care industry?

My role is to ensure that the medical fraternity obeys the rights of the patients and that each patient gets suitable drugs.

References

Brown, T. R. (2006). Handbook of institutional pharmacy practice. Bethesda, MD: ASHP.

Gulseth, M. (2007). Managing anticoagulation patients in the hospital: The inpatient

anticoagulation service. Bethesda, Md: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Puckett, R. P., and Byers, B. A. (2004). Food service manual for health care institutions. San

Francisco: Jossey-Bass.