Meet Colby and Jessica in Pharmacy!

March is Pharmacy Appreciation Month, a time to recognize the contributions of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across the province. This month, we’d like to introduce Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Colby Weichel, and Pharmacy Supervisor, Jessica Brazier. They are just two members of Lakeridge Health’s incredible Pharmacy team that provides vital services to team members, patients, and the community.

What made you want to work in pharmacy?

Colby:

I always knew I wanted a career in health care. I had an interest in helping people and entering the field of pharmacy allowed me to do just that. There are lots of opportunities for different work environments within pharmacy, and it’s a dynamic, evolving career.

Jessica:

I had started to pursue a career as a teacher, but I realized that I was enjoying my part-time job in a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician so much and wanted to pursue a career in pharmacy instead. I never looked back!

What are some things the Pharmacy Team does behind the scenes?

Colby:

Pharmacy plays a large role in patient safety; whether that’s unit dose packaging and barcoding of medications to ensure safe administration, or reviewing medication profiles and providing pharmaceutical recommendations to the team. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work closely together to act as the medication resource for the whole team.

Jessica:

The Pharmacy team packages, barcodes, compounds and distributes medication to all areas of the hospital. Constant testing and assessments are done to ensure competency and accuracy of the pharmacy team for IV preparations, compounding, medication reconciliation etc. There are many tasks that are completed both in hospital pharmacies and community pharmacies to ensure safety and best possible care for all patients.

What do you enjoy most about working in pharmacy?

Colby:

I really appreciate the way the Pharmacy team collaborates with team members across the organization to ensure best health for patients. We work with our colleagues to determine the highest quality and safest care for patients.

Jessica:

I truly love the challenges and variety of working in the pharmacy department. The different patients we care for, the different scenarios, challenges, and new medications being introduced. There’s always something changing, and I like that. Every day is different.