A Prescription for Training
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| Dr. Ann Vu, pharmacy resident |
Vu just completed a six-week rotation in Community Regional’s burn and intensive care units, working eight- to 12-hour shifts, while guided by a mentor who provided practical experience and training.
“I started each morning assessing the medication list each patient was on,” Vu said. “Then, I reviewed their daily labs and microbiology results to see if any medication management needed to be addressed.”
If any medications need monitoring or if the patient is on total parenteral (intravenous) nutrition, she reviews the orders.
Vu makes her rounds with the UCSF Fresno medical education program team and makes medication management recommendations. She serves as an on-hand source of drug information as the medical team formulates the patient's assessment and plan.
“The experience thus far has been amazing and I believe it is largely due to the great physician and hospital staff relationship Community Regional has with its pharmacists in working as a team,” Vu said.
As a fourth-year pharmacy student mentor to University of California, San Francisco pharmacy and University of Pacific, Thomas J. Long school of pharmacy students, Vu also provides teaching in-services to pharmacy staff on unique patient cases.
The role of a pharmacist has evolved from compounding and dispensing medications to advocating for patient care and key members of multidisciplinary patient care teams.
Pharmacists in an acute-care setting, such as Community Regional’s burn and Level 1 trauma centers, no longer practice only in the central pharmacy area. Pharmacists are deployed to provide clinical services at bedside and on the patient care units to reassure quality patient care.
Community Regional opened a new 8,000 square foot state-of-the-art inpatient pharmacy in January and process about 2,700 medication orders a day.
“October 21 through 27 is National Hospital and Health-System Pharmacy Week.” Vu said. “This week is an important reminder to recognize and acknowledge the contribution pharmacists and pharmacy staff make in helping to provide optimal patient care on a daily basis in the pharmacy and on the medical floors.”
Note: Dr. Ann Vu received her bachelor of science degree in microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics from University of California, Los Angeles in 2000, and doctor of pharmacy from Western University of Health Sciences in May. Her current research project is “Comparison of the Efficacy of Hypertonic Saline versus Mannitol for the Lowering of Intracranial Pressure in Critically Ill Patients with Intracranial Hypertension.”
This story was reported by Rebecca Wass. She can be reached at rwass@communitymedical.org.