April Quidley, the manager of pharmacy education and research and the Pharmacy Resident program director at ECU Health, was recently appointed to a three-year term on the Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS): Bedside Care Task Force by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) – an exciting achievement that reflects Quidley’s expertise in critical care medicine.
A New Bern native, Quidley has been with ECU Health since 2012. During that time, she established herself as a valuable resource for pharmacy services, especially in the critical care space. She has also enjoyed working with students.
“I spend a lot of time with pharmacy students and resident training,” she said. “We do a lot of recruiting for pharmacy resident positions, and we get a lot of interest from across the country because of the cool things we’re doing and our preceptors. We have a good cohort of professionals we’ve hired from our training program.”
Training the next generation of pharmacists
The Bedside Care Task Force merges Quidley’s pharmacy and education expertise with that of 20 other professionals, including other pharmacists, nurses and physicians, to create a new, international course focusing on bedside care in the critical care setting. Quidley said it’s forward thinking to include multiple disciplines to create this coursework.
“The goal is to train those who may not have experience in critical care on how to provide initial assessments and care, so they feel confident about that process. We want to do this in a standardized way to provide a worldwide process,” Quidley explained.
“My role, and that of the other pharmacists on this team, is to ensure pharmacists who provide bedside care know what they need to do to provide timely drug delivery, timely drug recommendations and adhere to best practices for patient care,” she added.
This is important because it allows providers in a variety of settings to enhance their critical care skills.
“Think back 10, 15 or 20 years ago,” Quidley said. “If you were working on the floor of a smaller hospital, your team might have to call for a consult for critical care cases. There are so many diagnoses, like sepsis, that require an early and accurate response. With this education, a team can provide the critical care patients need in the time they need it.”
The appointment stipulates that the task force determines the audience for this coursework, what other courses already exist in the critical care space and the financial investment required. The group will meet virtually and in person throughout the three-year period, including at SCCM conferences and meetings.
“The plan is to create a framework for this course by the end of the three years,” Quidley said.
The coursework will be a hybrid format of virtual, knowledge-based coursework and in-person, skill-based assessments, with the hope that ECU Health serves as one of the on-site locations.
A personal contribution to the discipline
Quidley’s involvement with the SCCM, both as a member and a Fellow of Critical Care Medicine, played a role in her name making it on the list of task force members.
“To be a Fellow, you have to publish and be active in critical care scholarship as well as work at the bedside,” she shared.
The SCCM website further designates Fellows as “practitioners, researchers, administrators and educators in the field of critical care,” and it recognizes outstanding contributions to the field. The distinction requires an application to be considered, and it globally honors Fellows as leaders in critical care.
“We already do a lot for critical care support here,” Quidley added. “Kristie Hertel has done a lot here at ECU Health in the critical care space. Working with the SCCM and this task force helps us develop curriculum that makes a broader impact.”
Quidley said she is thankful to work in an environment that supports her work with the SCCM and this task force specifically.
“I’ve been with ECU Health for 13 years, and I appreciate the organization’s support of our engagement in things beyond the institution. It’s not just for me personally, but for the organization as a whole. Being with ECU Health has been so rewarding.”