CHS Pharmacy News
April 2023
Business Hours
Normal business hours are 9 AM – 5:30 PM M-F, and 9 AM – 3PM Saturday and Closed on Sunday
*Emergency services available 24/7/365
World Immunization Week 2023*
April 24th through April 30th, 2023, “World Immunization Week 2023 aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective health interventions. Yet, there are still nearly 20 million children in the world today who are not getting the vaccines they need.”
Reducing Hospital Readmission Rates**
COPD readmission rates remain elevated at approximately 58% post 15 days hospital discharge. One of the main ways to look at lowering this number stems from improved transitions of care. In the long-term care setting, this becomes more complicated with the multiple staff members that will care for a resident. It is important to review administration techniques performed by nursing staff and assistance of inhaled medications. The consultant pharmacist is uniquely positioned to provide education on the administration of inhaled medications and educate administration to perform audits post training.
Dementia Care Practice Recommendations Alzheimer’s Association***
“Recommended practices for care include a comprehensive assessment and care planning as well as understanding behavior and effective communication. Strategies for implementing person-centered care rely on having effective staff approaches and an environment conducive to carrying out recommended care practices.” These approaches should be specific for each resident and include areas in:
- Social Engagement
- Food and Fluid Consumption
- Pain Management
Follow state or federal guidance documents and clinical recommendations in assessments to evaluate needed changes in the resident’s individual care plan.
Optimizing Sleep for Residence in LTC****
“Chemical restraint” is defined as any drug that is used for discipline or staff convenience and not required to treat medical symptoms.
“Indication for use” is defined as the identified, documented clinical rationale for administering a medication that is based upon an assessment of the resident’s condition and therapeutic goals and is consistent with manufacturer’s recommendations and/or clinical practice guidelines, clinical standards of practice, medication references, clinical studies or evidence-based review articles that are published in medical and/or pharmacy journals.
Your body drives you to the finish line, but your mind makes you cross it
- *World Immunization Week 2023. (n.d.). Retrieved from who.ing
- **(n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2023 from managedhealthcareconnect.com
- ***alz.org
- ****KDADs, Appendix PP page 127