The effective pharmacy-nursing committee

The Saint Joseph's Hospital Pharmacy-Nursing Committee sees a long list of pharmacy-nursing and drug distribution system problems still to be addressed and has no worry about running out of new business. In fact, increasing controlled substances accountability, creating a more reliable and timely process for moving intravenous fluid pumps through the inpatient system, and implementing a pharmacy-based, patient-controlled analgesia program across all of the hospitals' wards are three major issues now being addressed by the committee. At Saint Joseph's Hospital there is not a lot of unnecessary handwringing or undue stress over major pharmacy-nursing issues. Issues do exist, but there is also an experienced Pharmacy-Nursing Committee with a good track record of being able to resolve major issues. The committee takes on problems in a healthy and confident atmosphere of trust in both profession's skills and competencies. There is a respectful knowledge of each discipline's professional responsibilities and a full awareness that a quality patient drug system requires pharmacy and nursing elements working closely together. Wrestling with the heavy, modern-day, hospital pharmacy-nursing drug distribution system issues at this facility actually can be fun as a result of the confidence, camaraderie, and empathy that exists within the Pharmacy-Nursing Committee.