Pharmacist's activities on a trauma response team in the emergency department.
OBJECTIVE
The interventions of a clinical pharmacist on an emergency department (ED) trauma response team were studied.


METHODS
The study site was an academic, tertiary care hospital designated as a level 1 trauma center, with a clinical pharmacist present in the ED 40 hours per week. For a two-month period, interventions by the pharmacist in trauma cases were documented in an electronic quality-improvement database.


RESULTS
A total of 304 interventions were recorded; the most common were dosage recommendations (60%) and provision of drug information (27%). The top five drug classes involved were analgesics, sedatives, antimicrobials, vaccines, and fluids. In 83% of the interventions, the pharmacist documented involvement in facilitating drug administration.


CONCLUSIONS
A pharmacist participating on the ED trauma response team commonly provided dosage recommendations and drug information, facilitated drug administration, and optimized sedation, analgesia, and antimicrobial therapy.
Patanwala
Asad E
AE
Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin, Tucson, AZ 85721-0207, USA. patanwala@pharmacy.arizona.edu
Hays
Daniel P
DP
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001130:Arizona; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D024382:Professional Role; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations