Pulmonary APPE

The Neuro A/B pulmonary rotation is a four-week clinical rotation. The rotation is designed to expand on basic clinical knowledge and abilities gained on previous rotations, and to enhance the student’s critical thinking skills. This rotation emphasizes care of the hospitalized patient with focus in pulmonary diseases, infectious disease, neurological diseases, and general internal medicine.

Both the Neuro A (epilepsy/neurology) and Neuro B (pulmonary/internal medicine) units are 24-bed units. Patients are typically admitted under hospitalist care with consulting services for pulmonology, neurosurgery, neurology, epilepsy, and infectious disease. Students will be assigned specific patients to follow and provide pharmaceutical care, as well as round with Pulmonary Consult service. Patient care discussions are held daily, and numerous topic discussions are performed throughout the rotation.

Potential Topics/Activities

Specific topics the student will learn through readings, lectures, patient care rounds, and patient discussions include:

  • Infectious Diseases – endocarditis, meningitis, pneumonia, line sepsis, viral and fungal infections, etc.
  • COPD and asthma
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Hypertension/atrial fibrillation
  • Epilepsy
  • Respiratory failure (primary and secondary) and mechanical ventilation
  • Acute management of stroke
  • Acute and chronic renal failure and renal replacement therapy
  • Treatment of liver failure and its complications, including drug dosing adjustment
  • GI bleeding (upper, lower, variceal bleeding)
  • Anemia
  • Correction of electrolyte abnormalities
  • Acid-base disorders
  • Nutrition support
  • Venous thromboembolism: prevention and treatment
  • Stress ulcer prophylaxis
  • End of life issues
  • Journal Club (UMKC)
  • Treatment Guideline Review (UMKC)
  • Interprofessional Education Reflection (UMKC)
  • Formal Case Presentation (SOAP Note)
  • Noon meetings (student presentations, resident presentations, etc.)
  • Weekly Wednesday staff meetings at 2:30 p.m.

Location

Preceptors

Tyler Barnes, PharmD, BCPS
  • School of pharmacy: St. Louis College of Pharmacy
  • Residency training: PGY1—SSM St. Mary’s Hospital
  • Specialty interests: Pulmonary Medicine, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
  • Health system, hospital, pharmacy, and residency committee involvement: Saint Luke’s Hospital Medicine Evidence-based Practice Team; Pharmacy Research Oversight Committee
  • Professional involvement: Adjunct Professor at University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy; Kansas Council of Health-System Pharmacy (KSHP), Missouri Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP)
  • Pharmacy awards, accolades: 2019 Program Director’s Award of Merit—Saint Luke’s Hospital Pharmacy Department
Laura Bigler, PharmD
  • School of pharmacy: University of Michigan
  • Residency training: PGY1—Rush University Medical Center; PGY2—Adult Internal Medicine/Critical Care, Rush University Medical Center
  • Specialty interests: Adult Internal Medicine, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology
  • Health system, hospital, pharmacy, and residency committee involvement: Saint Luke’s Health System Institutional Review Board, Neuroscience Evidence-Based Practice Team
  • Pharmacy awards, accolades: 2004 Saint Luke’s Hospital Employee of the Quarter; 2008-2009 Saint Luke’s Hospital Pharmacy Preceptor of the Year; 2014-2015 Saint Luke’s Hospital Pharmacy Resident’s Recognition Award