The Pharmacy Department provides a variety of educational programs designed to meet the needs of its customers.
Goals
To increase the knowledge of health providers regarding drug treatment.
To provide education for patients and families regarding their drug therapy.
To provide a teaching site for pharmacy students and residents.
To provide a staff development opportunity.
Specific Information
The Pharmacy provides lectures on many subjects of interest as requested. This includes, in any year, students in Medicine, Graduate Nursing Programs, etc The pediatric, transplant, trauma, critical care medicine and surgery, geriatrics, oncology, myelosuppression and nutrition specialists attend rounds with the physicians and supply information in those areas. Additional education is provided in unit board meetings.
All pharmacists are available on an as needed basis to answer any drug or patient drug therapy questions. This communication is facilitated by team based pharmacists involved in clinical activities. The pharmacy maintains the database for the pharmacy portion of the Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) system which includes drug formulary status as well as checks for dosage, allergies, and duplicate orders. Online drug information includes Lexi-comp, MicroMedex, Up to Date and many other resources for health professionals.
The Pharmacy is a teaching site for undergraduate pharmacy students from the Belmont University College of Pharmacy, Lipscomb University College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy and Union University College of Pharmacy. Each year many students come to the Pharmacy for a one month general pharmacy APPE rotation. For most of the twelve months of the year, individual pharmacists have PharmD students accompany them for one month rotations. PharmD students rotate in Adult Medicine, Pediatrics, Adult Surgery, Ambulatory Care, and Pharmacy Administration. There are core competencies for each of these areas.
The Pharmacy Practice Residency Program is a one year ASHP accredited program that is designed to assist a graduate pharmacist to develop competency in providing progressive pharmaceutical care services. The resident is recruited through the ASHP Residency Matching Program or by other recruitment efforts. The Pharmacy Resident is expected to challenge their preceptor pharmacists and the Pharmacy Department when they have questions or concerns. Otherwise, the Resident follows the Residency Plan modified for each individual resident based on their skills and previous experience and competencies.
The Pharmacy Department is an approved provider of continuing education programs for pharmacists and certified technicians by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE). The department sponsors multiple programs each year directed toward the educational needs of the pharmacy staff. Programs are designed to educate on updated guidelines, new medication initiatives or protocols and other identified knowledge gaps.