Pharmacy Services for inpatients are provided by decentralized Clinical Pharmacists. Nursing units at KUMC are divided among seven pharmacy teams. Coverage during evening and weekend shifts varies slightly. Clinical Pharmacists carry beepers for accessibility and nursing unit staff or central pharmacy can provide the beeper number for designated pharmacists. This pharmacist is an excellent resource and your best liaison with the central Department of Pharmacy when drug-related questions or problems and any special requests arise.
The Clinical Pharmacist is responsible for review of the patient medication regimen. Pharmacists screen for potential problems with medication orders: dosing, drug allergies, drug interactions, intravenous incompatibility, and patient discharge prescription consultation in conjunction with the physician, nurse, or other health care professionals. Physicians are informed of potential problems and possible drug therapy modification. Pharmacists are actively involved in monitoring antibiotic therapy and provide pharmacokinetic dosing for selected antimicrobials. Patient education during the hospital stay and/or upon discharge is provided by Clinical Pharmacists. A Self-Medication Program and medication calendars are available for patients with multiple medications and compliance problems.
Pharmacy notes located in the patient chart may contain information regarding patient education, compliance assessment, pharmacokinetic dosing or other information related to patient drug therapy decisions.
Nursing floor stock is available from Pyxis® units on all patient care units and many diagnostic units. This automation allows a health care professional with a password to access medications that are on a patient profile and medications that are considered "PRN" for an individual unit. Passwords are electronic signatures for which the health care professional is held ultimately accountable.
The medications available in each Pyxis® unit are chosen by each nursing unit and its pharmacist. The availability of each medication is based upon safety, usage and stability. Prescribed medications that are not available in Pyxis® units are delivered to patient care areas by the Department of Pharmacy in individual packages which identify each dose (Unit Dose Packaging). These doses are placed in a secure cassette drawer labeled for each patient on the nursing units (Unit Dose Cart).
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