Implementation and evaluation of an overnight critical care pharmacist shift
Yumi Oh1, Kimberly A Ackerbauer2, Sopheaktra Kong3
1Department of Pharmacy, Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
Summary
Implementing an overnight critical care pharmacist shift significantly increased documented interventions and compliance with patient care recommendations. This quality improvement initiative enhanced pharmacy services without negatively impacting order verification times.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacy Practice
- Critical Care Medicine
- Quality Improvement
Background:
- Critical care pharmacy services are essential and recommended by major professional organizations.
- Optimizing overnight pharmacy services is crucial for patient safety and care quality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of introducing an overnight critical care pharmacist shift.
- To assess changes in pharmacy services and compliance with critical care recommendations.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of an overnight critical care pharmacist shift in October 2023.
- Utilized Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles to measure outcomes.
- Tracked time to order verification, time to administration, and pharmacist interventions.
Main Results:
- Institutional compliance with recommendations increased from 6.2% to 67.2%.
- Average monthly interventions rose from 84 to 214.
- Patient profile reviews occurred on 100% of shifts, leading to interventions in 93.3% of cases.
Conclusions:
- Overnight critical care pharmacists enhance documented interventions and compliance.
- Implementation did not significantly increase order verification or administration times.
- Further optimization of overnight clinical pharmacy activities is possible.
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