Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Emergency Medicine)
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Clinical Pharmacy Specialists are employees of their medical center's Pharmacy Service, to ensure they receive all professional guidance, policy and communications, along with department missions and goals, especially regarding the VA National Formulary, VISN and local medical center Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee objectives for formulary management activities and patient safety. The primary function of the clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) in emergency medicine is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through direct and indirect interaction with patients and providers.
Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacy Specialists (EMCPS) are highly-trained medication management experts and consultants in highly complex, clinical scenarios, collaborating with healthcare providers to ensure safe, appropriate, and cost-effective use of medications in the Emergency Department (ED). Duties include but are not limited to the following:
- Collaborates with ED providers to develop, implement, and maintain systems that promote desirable clinical outcomes through use of safe, cost-effective drug therapies.
- Reviews and evaluates medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes.
- Utilizes motivational interview skills with patient, family, caregiver and other healthcare professionals to collect patient-specific data to identify problems and individualize care to complement patient's medication therapy history and identify additional data needed as part of medication review assessment.
- Designs pharmaceutical care plans if needed and documents interventions performed in electronic health record, allowing for seamless transitions of care and effective communication within the patient's healthcare team.
- Makes dose adjustments and recommendations based on objective laboratory findings, expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
- Orders, reviews and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
- Manages acute and chronic disease states under Scope of Practice.
- Reports and assists in medical emergencies and high risk procedures such as resuscitations, intubations, acute coronary syndromes, stroke, anticoagulation reversal, toxicologic emergencies, disaster management.
- Reviews culture results and susceptibility profiles and initiates changes in antimicrobial therapy when indicated.
- Participates in the training and orientation of pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, pharmacy staff and allied healthcare professionals.
- Responsible for coordinating and supervising the activities of postgraduate residents in the emergency department, as preceptor.
- Serves as an authoritative information source on medication and their uses.
- Engages in drug information services to healthcare providers informally and via formal requests.
- Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. EMCPS is able to adjust communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations, accurately assess and document patient comprehension, refer patients to educational programs provided within the healthcare system by multidisciplinary teams.
- Maintains and improves professional competency by keeping up with information on new medications, new medication therapies, and innovations in pharmacy practices. The EMCPS continually applies current drug information and program techniques in their daily practices.
- Obtains and maintains Basic Cardiac Life Support Certification (BLS) and Advanced Cardiopulmonary Life Support (ACLS)
- Responsible for the daily operation status of various aspects of the pharmacy programs.
- Participates in quality improvement committees and regulatory compliance activities designed to evaluate and improve patient safety, quality measures/metrics and outcomes in the ED included but not limited to creation of order sets or other techniques to aid in expedited, safe and proper selection of evidence-based and/or guideline-directed therapies in the ED.
- Serves as pharmacy liaison with ED team and stakeholders, representing pharmacy service in a professional manner.
- Performs any duties and special projects deemed necessary by Pharmacy Administration, for the proper operation of the Pharmacy Service.
Telework: Available; Ad-hoc
Functional Statement #: 21809F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected] , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
