Independent Nuclear Pharmacy
Profile of a Career Path
Independent Nuclear Community Pharmacy Owner
Brief Description The independent community pharmacy owner is a hybridized role that emphasizes pharmacist management skills in a community setting. The individual is responsible for both providing care to the community and for maintaining the stability of the business itself. It is necessary for the owner to be capable of leading a team, often less than 10 persons but can increase with store growth, and have accounting skills. The owner, generally, has a large sum of money invested in the pharmacy and as such their financial stability is intertwined to the success of the nuclear pharmacy. A typical day may include tasks such as handling radioactive substance, handling conflicts between staff members, filling nuclear prescriptions, ensuring the proper handling of radiopharmaceuticals, and communicating the proper radiopharmaceutical-related information to others. The biggest challenged for persons considering a career in this area are the time and money that must be invested to initially start a nuclear pharmacy. Equipment used in a nuclear pharmacy tends to be more expensive. Tungsten shields and leaded glass shielding are some of the more expensive items found in a nuclear pharmacy. About three quarters of a million dollars needs to be invested in inventory, and for a new graduate, that is a large sum of money. Nuclear pharmacy owners spend a great amount of their time in work-related activities, and 80 hour work weeks are not uncommon. The stress level that comes with the added responsibility of running the business can be taxing. It may take many years before the pharmacy is profitable, and it is entirely possible the store will never become profitable. One must consider all of these possibilities before deciding upon a career as an
Independent Nuclear Community Pharmacy Owner
Brief Description The independent community pharmacy owner is a hybridized role that emphasizes pharmacist management skills in a community setting. The individual is responsible for both providing care to the community and for maintaining the stability of the business itself. It is necessary for the owner to be capable of leading a team, often less than 10 persons but can increase with store growth, and have accounting skills. The owner, generally, has a large sum of money invested in the pharmacy and as such their financial stability is intertwined to the success of the nuclear pharmacy. A typical day may include tasks such as handling radioactive substance, handling conflicts between staff members, filling nuclear prescriptions, ensuring the proper handling of radiopharmaceuticals, and communicating the proper radiopharmaceutical-related information to others. The biggest challenged for persons considering a career in this area are the time and money that must be invested to initially start a nuclear pharmacy. Equipment used in a nuclear pharmacy tends to be more expensive. Tungsten shields and leaded glass shielding are some of the more expensive items found in a nuclear pharmacy. About three quarters of a million dollars needs to be invested in inventory, and for a new graduate, that is a large sum of money. Nuclear pharmacy owners spend a great amount of their time in work-related activities, and 80 hour work weeks are not uncommon. The stress level that comes with the added responsibility of running the business can be taxing. It may take many years before the pharmacy is profitable, and it is entirely possible the store will never become profitable. One must consider all of these possibilities before deciding upon a career as an
References: 2) Devveney, John. “Owning and Operating an Independent Nuclear Pharmacy.” Personal interview. 10 March. 2013 3) “Pharmacists.” U.S "Medication Management in Nuclear Pharmacy : March 2012 - Pharmacy Purchasing & Products Magazine." Medication Management in Nuclear Pharmacy : March 2012 - Pharmacy Purchasing & Products Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2013.