Role of a pharmacist on the dialysis unit

摘要

In 1994, the medical director of the hemodialysis unit of Hartford Hospital approached the pharmacy department to help implement a program for appropriate dosing of erythropoietin to efficiently control anemia and reduce hospital costs. The rationale for having a pharmacist manage the program was based on the variety and quality of pharmacist-managed clinical programs and protocols available in the institution. The objectives of the program were to establish erythropoietin dosing protocols to be managed by a pharmacist and have the pharmacy prepare those doses in individual syringes to avoid waste and to reduce nursing time used to prepare them. Once that program was under way, the pharmacist could help institute protocols to manage and prepare i.v. iron and i.v. vitamin D for treating renal osteodystrophy.