Explore the Importance of Inpatient Pharmacy Rounds

Session Description: Inpatient pharmacies have a great deal of oversight from the state Board of Pharmacy, Drug Enforcement Administration, and regulatory bodies. Infection preventionists (IPs) should be prepared to provide support and guidance to pharmacy staff for successful regulatory visits with regular Environment of Care (EOC) rounding. The first step for IPs to be able to provide benefit to the pharmacy staff and leadership, is to understand the pharmacy setting and the numerous functions that occur. Due to various tasks, such as non-sterile compounding and different types of sterile compounding, IPs must understand the regulatory nuances. The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) chapters provide the standards that must be followed for each type of location, but first the IP must understand the type and complexity of compounding practices that occur.

Sterile compounding is not only divided into hazardous and non-hazardous, but also into the complexity of sterile compounding. This session will provide information on different types of pharmacy tasks and explore the references used for each type of practice. Cleanroom suite examples and the differences in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) classifications will be reviewed. Specifics for pharmacy cleaning, garbing, environmental sampling, and staff requirements will be explored. Building a strong relationship between pharmacy and infection prevention and control not only prepares the department for successful regulatory visits but also enhances patient safety in daily practices. Pharmacy EOC rounding can be daunting for IPs, but with the proper understanding of the complexity of pharmacies, IPs can be an excellent resource for pharmacy leadership.

Frances Nicholson

Infection Preventionist, Beth Israel Lahey Health

Frances Nicholson is a dedicated and accomplished infection preventionist with over 10 years of experience in acute-care hospitals and the public health sector. She holds a Master of Public Health, is a Certified in Public Health (CPH), a Certified Infection Control (CIC) professional, and a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). She is currently serving as an Infection Preventionist at a specialty orthopedic hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Frances has authored peer-reviewed articles and volunteers on the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) committees contributing to standards on cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and endoscope reprocessing. Whether mentoring novice infection preventionists or guiding seasoned clinicians, Frances’ work is defined by commitment to patient safety, multidisciplinary collaboration, and staff empowerment.

Conceicao Pires

Infection Preventionist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Conceição Pires has over two years of Infection Prevention and Control experiences with a background of approximately 20 years of nursing experience. Conceição’s expertise lies within pediatric Stem Cell Transplant/Oncology/Hematology, and nursing education. After obtaining her certification in case management (CCM), she achieved a master’s degree in public health (MPH). Conceição previously worked in community nursing education programs for underserved communities focusing on health disparities and non-English speaking patients. Ms. Pires currently works as an Infection Preventionist in Boston, Massachusetts covering inpatient units for adult medicine, Oncology/Hematology/Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), solid organ transplant, inpatient pharmacy, and various ambulatory clinics. Currently, Conceição volunteers her time mentoring nursing students.

Amy Huff

Infection Preventionist, Hazel I. Findlay

Amy Huff, RN, CIC, LTC-CIP has worked at Hazel I. Findlay, a Skilled Nursing Facility in Michigan, for 35 years. She began as a Nurse Aide while completing her nursing education and spent 17 years as a floor nurse, Nurse Aide Training Program Instructor, Education Manager, and other managerial roles before stepping into the Infection Preventionist role in 2007. She has served on committees in Disaster Preparedness and Infection Prevention and Control realms. Amy enjoys learning, meeting new people, and mentoring others; she considers her CIC, LTC-CIP, and a-IPC certifications to be essential milestones in her career and encourages her peers to take these important steps. She is an APIC Faculty Member, instructing several courses. She has been a part of her Great Lakes APIC Chapter in the Membership Secretary role and feels honored to have served as a member of the APIC National Conference Committee.