Melissa Papandrea grew up watching her father manage and operate his pharmacies in Brooklyn. “As a child, I spent a lot of time in his stores. When I was old enough, I started working as a cashier. Becoming a pharmacist was a natural progression.”
As a second-generation pharmacist, Papandrea provides patients with the vital medicines they need. For 17 years, she worked as a retail pharmacist. Although she found the work rewarding, she wanted to transition into infusion pharmacy where she could be part of a care team that provides multidisciplinary care and personalized service.
“There are so many retail pharmacies, but there are only a few infusion companies, so openings for an infusion pharmacist don’t come along as often,” she explains. “Most infusion pharmacists enjoy their work, so the turnover rate is low. So when I was presented with an opportunity at AOM Infusion, I was extremely excited to make the career change.”
Now three years into her role at AOM, Papandrea finds infusion pharmacy is everything she imagined it would be.
“I speak with patients or their caregivers, arrange for delivery of medication and supplies, review medication list for potential drug interactions, provide medication counseling, and address any issues they may have,” she explains. “I also work directly with patient care coordinators , nurse managers, and doctors to ensure that the patient receives the appropriate plan of care. We have an after hours on-call service, so patients are always able to reach a nurse and a pharmacist with any questions or concerns, which is reassuring to them.”
Making Meaningful Connections with Patients
Papandrea reveals her favorite aspect of infusion pharmacy is working so closely with patients.
“My Dad always told me to treat people the way I want my family to be treated,” she recalls. “When I’m talking to patients, I keep in mind that they may not be feeling well and need a comforting presence. So I always want to be kind, reassuring and empathetic to their needs. Being patient and kind is the most important thing I can do for someone dealing with a health issue. When patients know you’re listening and that you care and want to make a difference, it builds trust.”
It also builds a strong bond between patient and pharmacist. Papandrea finds that bond incredibly rewarding. Many of the same patients have been with her throughout her tenure at AOM. “I’ve had patients tell me their treatment gave them their life back,” she says. “It’s so nice when you hear those stories.”
Growing Professionally with AOM
Although Papandrea didn’t have any previous experience as an infusion pharmacist, her AOM colleagues welcomed her and championed her success. “There are great teachers in this company. They took me under their wing and they taught me everything that they know.”
With new medications and new protocols coming out all the time, AOM ensures its infusion pharmacists stay abreast of developments via professional conferences and frequent training sessions.
“The company is very proactive,” Papandrea says. “Pharmacy educators from various drug companies provide in-depth training and continuing education opportunities. They keep us up to date on the newest medications and any changes we need to know about. At AOM, you can learn something every day.
“As AOM pharmacists, our goal is to provide exceptional care to our patients and improve their health. We want them to have a positive and comfortable experience at home or in one of our infusion suites. Bringing the treatment to them is just one of the amazing things about home infusion.
“I can’t imagine working anywhere else. The work is rewarding, and AOM truly cares about their patients. They go above and beyond to make sure each and every patient is treated like a member of their own family. They take care of their employees by holding team building events to bring us together. It’s just a great company to be involved with.”
Ready to infuse your pharmacy career with more passion, purpose and opportunities?
AOM Infusion is growing and looking for compassionate, talented pharmacists to join our team. We have rewarding positions open across the U.S, visit our careers page.