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Role changes at the pharmacy-nursing interface: Kimball Medical Center
C L Hansen1, P Cook, K Stanley
1Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood, NJ.
Topics in Hospital Pharmacy Management
|December 10, 1990
Summary
The Clinical Staff Training (CST) program successfully achieved its goals, enhancing medication safety and creating a pharmacy technician career ladder. This improved interdepartmental collaboration and established pharmacy credibility.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Pharmacy Practice
- Organizational Management
Background:
- The Clinical Staff Training (CST) program aimed to improve medication management and interdepartmental collaboration.
- Decentralized satellite pharmacy services required enhanced medication safety, control, accountability, and utilization strategies.
- A need existed to professionalize the role of pharmacy technicians and foster better relationships with nursing staff.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the realization of the original goals and objectives of the CST program.
- To assess the impact of the CST program on medication safety and pharmacy operations.
- To examine the program's effect on pharmacy technician development and interdepartmental relations.
Main Methods:
- Programmatic evaluation of the CST initiative.
- Analysis of medication safety, control, accountability, and utilization metrics.
- Assessment of pharmacy technician career progression and staff development.
- Qualitative evaluation of interdepartmental perceptions and collaboration between pharmacy and nursing.
Main Results:
- The CST program successfully met its objectives, improving medication safety and utilization.
- A structured career ladder was implemented for pharmacy technicians, enhancing recruitment and retention.
- Pharmacy services gained recognition and credibility from the nursing division, establishing pharmacists as drug information experts.
- Improved understanding and teamwork developed between pharmacy and nursing departments.
Conclusions:
- The CST program effectively achieved its intended outcomes, leading to significant improvements in medication management and pharmacy operations.
- The establishment of a pharmacy technician career ladder contributed to a more competent and stable technical workforce.
- Enhanced interdepartmental communication and collaboration between pharmacy and nursing were key successes, fostering mutual respect and team effort.