b. Some journals are designed to be read by many members of the medical
community. Other journals are specifically written to meet the needs of the individuals
who are directly involved with the field of pharmacy. Further, some journals are
especially written for pharmacy personnel, who work in hospitals, while others are
designed for those who work in retail.
c. As you know, there are many journals written for people who work in the
medical field. Some journals are designed to be read by the members of many medical
disciplines, while other journals focus on a particular job specialty (that is, nursing,
pharmacy, or medical technology). Many journals are written to meet the needs of
those in pharmacy practice. Some of these journals are especially written for pharmacy
personnel who work in an inpatient setting, while other journals are designed for those
who work in an outpatient environment.
d. To meet your individual needs, you should become familiar with some
frequently used pharmacy journals, the type of information each contains, and the
particular group(s) for whom the journal is written.
e. As you read a journal, do not limit yourself to the main articles. Letters to the
editor, advertisements, and job announcements also provide information, which can be
very helpful. For example, these parts of a journal can provide up-to-date information
on new products, changes in old products, as well as short- and long-term trends in the
state of the art of pharmacy practice.
1-4. SPECIFIC JOURNALS
a. The American Journal of Health-Systems Pharmacists. The American
Journal of Health-Systems Pharmacists (AJHP) is an official publication of the American
Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. It is published on a twice monthly basis. As
the name implies, this journal is tailored to pharmacy personnel who practice in a
hospital setting. The AJHP can be read and understood by almost all-medical
personnel who have a background in pharmacy. The AJHP contains information on
drug therapy, new and innovative pharmacy practices, and other topics of particular
interest to hospital pharmacy personnel.
b. Hospital Pharmacy. This journal is a monthly publication of the L. B.
Lippincott Company. Although designed for hospital pharmacists, the journal's contents
can be read and understood by medical personnel who have a background in
pharmacy. Hospital Pharmacy contains information on innovative pharmacy procedures
(that is, unit dose), drug therapies, and other topics of general interest. One section,
"Medication Error Reports," provides a constant reminder of the types of medication
errors that occur in a hospital.
c. The American Journal of Intravenous Therapy. The McMahon Publishing
Company on a bimonthly basis publishes this journal. The journal is tailored toward
those persons directly involved with the preparation and/or administration of intravenous
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