Suzanne Malfair and Marilyn Chadwick
Suzanne Malfair
Clinical Coordinator
Lions Gate Hospital
Marilyn Chadwick
Distribution Coordinator
Lions Gate Hospital
Profile submitted by:
Sue Basalyga
Brief description of role or responsibilities
Suzanne is Clinical Coordinator while Marilyn is our Distribution Coordinator. They share an office and are constantly collaborating on all aspects of the management/function of Lions Gate Hospital’s Pharmacy Department.
Description of roles to improve patient care or provide pharmacy services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Like all work environments, the first 6 months of the pandemic were full of upheaval. Marilyn and Suzanne guided LGH Pharmacy through this time period with incredible patience, positivity and kindness.
Initially, we had DAILY all staff meetings to keep everyone informed. Marilyn and Suzanne did the following:
- Kept abreast of the constantly changing PPE information and recommendations. Within days they organized an in person demonstration of ideal donning and doffing procedures. We have BPMH technicians working in the ER Department so this was especially important for them.
- Encouraged COVID testing of staff if anyone had a single symptom, without judgement or hesitation.
- Organized Zoom in person training/demonstration as soon as this tool was available for use.
- Tackled the problem of safely labelling patient’s own medications and had to adjust this scenario several times.
- Immediately adjusted vacation selection so that enough staff would be on hand if the hospitalizations rose dramatically.
- Understood that some of us were scared and made concessions if some felt uneasy moving through the hospital wards.
Description of impact to improve patient care or provide pharmacy services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Suzanne and Marilyn often stayed late to help deal with one mini crisis after another. Emergency was short on resuscitation kits, possible propofol and midazolam shortages, opening of a dedicated COVID ward that was outfitted to possibly deal with ventilated patients requiring sudden changes to wardstock/omnicell medications.
For the first time ever, these two leaders facilitated our ability to work from home. Clinical pharmacists could be linked to the Cerner network so their duties could be done from home. This was not technically easy and Zoom was tied in to assist.
Marilyn and Suzanne welcomed, encouraged and facilitated LGH’s involvement in the World Health Organization’s CATCO (Canadian Treatments for COVID-19) trial where patient’s were randomized to possibly receive investigational therapeutics for COVID positive patients. We did contribute to the remdesivir arm.
ALL THIS and more ….. in the midst of a complete pharmacy renovation !!!