Evaluating a Training Program for Pharmacist Code Blue Response

Abstract

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine if pharmacy-specific didactic and experiential education could increase pharmacists’ knowledge about code situations and their comfort level in responding to these events. Secondarily, we examined the impact of the program on pharmacists with various prior experience with cardiac arrest resuscitation (code blue events).DesignGiven the extensive use of medications during advanced cardiac life support, pharmacists working on resuscitation teams have a unique opportunity to improve patient care. If properly trained, pharmacists could potentially reduce medication errors, aid in medication preparation, and provide drug and compatibility information. However, a pharmacy-specific education program of this type is not currently available. Before beginning this project, a knowledge assessment and comfort level survey were administered to pharmacists to obtain baseline information about their knowledge of commonly used medications, hospital policies, and perceived comfort levels in performing resuscitation practices. The pharmacists attended an education session about these topics and were given an opportunity to practice medication preparation. Upon completion, each pharmacist repeated the knowledge assessment, a comfort survey, and a competency check list.ResultsPharmacists’ performance on a written knowledge assessment improved by a mean of 3.5 ± 0.6 questions (P = 0.0001). Perceived comfort level also increased for several aspects of code involvement.ConclusionThe data suggests that targeted education could increase pharmacists’ knowledge and comfort levels related to resuscitation efforts. Further investigation is required to determine the impact of the program on pharmacist performance during a resuscitation effort.