Where They're Working
Originally from Labrador, Krystyna knew she wanted to return to the east coast after completing pharmacy school as part of Waterloo Pharmacy’s vanguard class.
“I had completed my last co-op rotation in Moncton with Horizon Health,” she says. “I spent lots of time in New Brunswick as a child on family vacations. My husband is also from Newfoundland, so once we had children, there was a strong pull to move back east.”
Krystyna left her job at London Health Sciences Centre to join the New Brunswick Heart Centre (NBHC). NBHC, embedded in the Saint John Regional Hospital, is the only hospital in New Brunswick that offers interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery. As a result, they service patients from all over the province and from nearby Prince Edward Island.
“My day starts in the cardiac surgery ICU where I round with the team and the surgeons. I then make my way to the cardiac surgery inpatient floor and continue rounds,” says Krystyna. “Horizon Health has allowed pharmacists to independently prescribe within the hospital so I do a lot with diabetic management pre- and post-surgery, along with complications such as post-ICU delirium and infections.”
In her role at NBHC, Krystyna has been a consistent advocate for quality improvement and the increased use of clinical pharmacy services. When she first joined the Centre, she noticed there was no pharmacist coverage for the cardiac surgery ICU.
“As most evidence for pharmacist involvement within hospitals stems from ICU data, this gap in services made no sense. Since I started, I have been constantly pushing for additional resources. Earlier this year, I started rounding in the cardiac surgery ICU and it has been a positive experience to date.”
The challenges of practicing in a smaller community differ from those faced in sprawling cities of southern Ontario. As the one who oversees clinical pharmacy services within the NBHC, it’s Krystyna’s job to adapt to those challenges.
The lack of resources is a large challenge and it does always feel like you are doing more with less. New Brunswick's health care system is struggling to keep up with the needs of an aging population.
As a member of the Vanguard class, I learned to adapt to change quickly, which has been a great benefit when working in hospital and the different clinical areas I have been fortunate to work in.
Hospital practice in a small and dynamic team is immensely rewarding. Krystyna’s role requires robust interprofessional collaboration as health professionals work together on complex patient cases. She sees the rewards of this teamwork every day.
“There’s nothing like the feeling when I get to see a patient go home after a long and complicated inpatient admission. I have the opportunity to know the patient and their family and help contribute to their care. Those patients are what keeps me motivated to continue to improve my practice.”
Alumni Answers
UW: What inspired you to take on a role supervising pharmacy students and residents?
KE: I have always worked in a teaching hospital, so it just became second nature to having students and residents around from all different health professions. It is a great way to give back to the profession and hopefully show students how amazing hospital practice can be.
UW: Do you have any advice to share from your career journey?
KE: The one piece of advice I always share is to be open to every opportunity that comes your way. No matter if the experience is positive or negative, you will still learn something about yourself and how you want to practice as a pharmacist.
Non-Pharm Fun
“I love to travel and do that as much as I can. I have 5-year-old twin boys, so they still take up most of my time. Since moving back east, we have been able to spend more time going on hikes and spending time on the water, whether it’s skating on the river, swimming or going out in the canoe.”
