Administrative Elective at Novant Health - Presbyterian Medical Center
APPE Rotation 4 Wrap-Up
As the days wind down on my fourth APPE rotation I find myself asking, where has the time gone?? I can’t believe how quickly rotations have flown by! I have been extremely fortunate to complete three rotations in my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, at Novant Health - Presbyterian Medical Center. Presbyterian Medical Center, a nonprofit, 622-bed tertiary medical center, is located in Charlotte, N.C. They exist to improve the health of the communities. They accomplish that mission by providing excellent healthcare services and by supporting the Charlotte community through partnerships and outreach. For over a century, they have provided the residents of this region with nationally-recognized, quality care. Presbyterian Medical Center is designated a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Magnet designation is the nation’s highest honor for excellence in nursing, and only 5 percent of hospitals in the country have achieved this honor. Since 1903, Presbyterian Medical Center has been a cornerstone of the Charlotte community. With 7,000 employees and over 700 physicians on medical staff, Novant Health is one of the largest medical centers in the region and they are recognized throughout the state and across the country for quality care, outstanding patient satisfaction and commitment to giving back to the community.
I am extremely humbled to have been able to complete an administrative elective at such an amazing hospital. During my previous rotations at Novant, I was able to sit in on a meeting with the Joint Commision. It was incredible to see the sheer amount of work that goes into preparing the hospital for such a visit. The legal work and documentation required can be overwhelming. On this administrative rotation, I was able to take the feedback given by the Joint Commission, and implement some minor changes to the pharmacy. I got to work on a project that helped ensure compliance with hazardous drugs. I had to identify all the drugs that were defined as hazardous drugs, and make sure that they were all in the appropriate, labeled place. Throughout this rotation, I also got to sit in on interviews of new potential staff hires. I was able to learn about their process, along with what they look for in a future employee. I was able to get some major insight into how a candidate should act and behave during a job interview. It was an eye opening experience that I hope to carry with me throughout the next phase in my life as a pharmacist.
During an operational meeting that I attended, I got to hear about some concerns from our friends in the anesthesia department. I listened to their concerns and asked if could take the day to shadow anesthesia to see if there was anything that we could do in the pharmacy to help them out. I arrived in the anesthesia work room at the crack of dawn. I was able to shadow anesthesiologists and CRNAs for the entire day. I took notes on their processes and came up with an idea to help. They were concerned with the amount of time it took to draw up medication into syringes during traumatic incidents that occur overnight. Since the late shift is typically understaffed, this was a great opportunity for pharmacist intervention. I developed the idea of an “Overnight Trauma Kit” and built it from the ground up. I designed it, labeled it, and got it completely approved and set up in anesthesia to help them ensure that the medications were administered to the patient in a timely manner. I was so ecstatic that i was able to come up with a solution that benefited everyone, especially the patient.
Overall this was an amazing experience that I would highly recommend to the upcoming P3 class. The operational side of pharmacy is something that we aren't really exposed to in pharmacy school. I would absolutely recommend this rotation to any students thinking of pursuing a career in upper hospital management. This site has some wonderful people and opportunities. If anyone has any questions about Novant Health in Charlotte, please feel free to contact me at ellen.couchell@students.acp.edu.
