Katie Coan, Emergency Department Pharmacist
Management's Support Brings About New Position at UAB
I Felt I Made A Difference That Day
There are many times when Katie Coan, UAB's first Emergency Department Pharmacist, wonders, ‘What if I hadn't been here?' She remembers one particular patient, a gentleman in his 80s with Parkinson's disease who was brought into the ED after falling and dislocating his hip. He was having such a hard time controlling his movements that the nurses couldn't take his blood pressure or start an IV. Knowing that Parkinson's patients have very specific medication regimens, Katie looked at his chart and noticed that he'd been in the ED for several hours and had missed a couple of doses of his medicine. She had a hunch that if he could just get his regular meds, he'd be able to calm down. Katie quickly worked with the physicians to order the medications, and the nurses administered them to the patient. Twenty minutes later he was completely still and calm. The nurses were able to do their jobs and thanked Katie for her quick thinking. The patient was very grateful and even thanked her for helping him. "I felt like I made a difference that day," she recalls. It's situations like these that make her even more thankful that the administration agreed to support the creation of the ED Pharmacist position at UAB.
Katie's Realizes Her Desire to Work in an Emegency Department
Katie's desire to work in this field began in pharmacy school when an ED Pharmacist from Grady Health System in Atlanta spoke to her class about the job and its day-to-day responsibilities. "At the time, you didn't see a lot of pharmacists in the ED. This was the first I'd heard of it," Katie recalls. "I thought it sounded like a lot of fun. You just never know what you're going to see [in the ED]." To work towards this goal, she completed her one-year residency and, after hearing about UAB's reputation for hiring top-notch staff, decided to interview for a position. When Mike Geerts, Director of Inpatient Operations for Pharmacy Services, told her during the interview that a position in the Trauma Burn Unit was open, she immediately jumped on board, having enjoyed her trauma/burn rotation as a student.
Katie Conveys Interest in Praciting in an ED Setting
While looking forward to working in the Trauma Burn Unit, Katie decided to get the ball rolling early and do what she could to bring the ED Pharmacist position to life at UAB. During her interview with Geerts, she asked him if he'd ever considered having a pharmacist work permanently in the ED. To her surprise, he had more than thought about it. "He said he was already looking into it and was trying to get administrative support behind him. I made sure he knew I was interested," Katie says.
Katie Dives into Her Job as UAB's First ED Pharmacist
When a JCAHO survey suggested that UAB look into having a pharmacist in the ED, Geerts came straight to Katie and asked if she was interested in the position. She saw this opportunity as the chance to pursue her ultimate goal, and it was a huge relief to know she had management's support. Funding came through for the position sooner than expected, and she was happy to dive into her job as UAB's first ED pharmacist.
Continual Learning Everyday
"I think the best part about it was that I was thrown into it. Being the first person in this position, I didn't know what to expect. I had been doing my reading on things I hadn't seen in a while, because I knew I could see anything, and I do see everything!" she says. "There's continual learning every day." Katie points out that some people are intimidated by the ED Pharmacist position, but she sees it differently: "It's fun. I have a good time when I'm at work. A lot of times I don't sit down!"
Katie is Making a Real Difference at UAB
There is a considerable responsibility on Katie's shoulders as the first ED Pharmacist at the hospital; it's a responsibility she welcomes, as she builds a legacy that will be passed on to the pharmacists who follow her. "Everyone who comes behind me will hopefully do what I've done but also expand on it," she notes. Katie acknowledges she wouldn't be where she is if the management hadn't agreed that UAB needed a pharmacist in the ED and supported the position. As a result, she's been able to build relationships with staff all across the hospital, broaden her pharmaceutical knowledge, and realize that she's making a real difference in the lives of the patients she comes in contact with every day.