New Pharmacy Opens at VJH

Safety, security and space are some of the benefits of the new state-of-the-art Pharmacy at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, which became operational on September 22.Situated in the old Emergency Department, the Pharmacy is double the size of the old basement Pharmacy which hasn't seen an update since the early 1980s.In addition to filling and distributing medications, the staff of 30 consults with patients, provides clinical advice to physicians regarding drug therapy, offers drug information to nurses and other health professions, train pharmacy students and residents, and prepares medications for the Cancer Clinic as well as counselling patients about chemotherapy.Security features include pass-throughs for secure transfer of medications, and a CII Safe System that stores, tracks and monitors narcotics ensuring accurate inventory, selection and distribution.  The Pharmacy has approximately 1,400 medications.The IV prep area, which provides a sterile environment improves care of both patients and staff, with five separate rooms including an anteroom, scrub room and clean room for preparing intravenous medications for epidurals and pain infusions .  This enhanced level of cleanliness and sterility protects patients by helping to prevent contamination of solutions, as well as protecting staff while preparing chemotherapy medications.The new Pharmacy also includes a Pneumatic Tube Station which allows for timely delivery of medications.Construction began in early 2014, with costs shared by the Province of British Columbia, the North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap Regional Hospital District and VJH Foundation, which contributed $97,000 to the project for the purchase of a chemo fridge, pass-through fridge, fume hoods and other equipment.