About Trinity Health

Nearly 100 years ago citizens from across northwest North Dakota gathered to form an alliance that would result in a new regional hospital dedicated to bringing modern-day healthcare services to a mostly rural region. A member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, Trinity Health is a nonprofit, integrated healthcare system serving northwest/central North Dakota and Eastern Montana. With a tertiary care hospital in Minot, more than 40 specialties, several rural health clinics, and a long-term care facility, Trinity provides a full complement of healthcare services to the region. Since 1922, Trinity Health has been committed to looking ahead and improving ourselves in ways that provide the best, most compassionate care possible for our patients, families, and communities.

Our Mission

Trinity Health is committed to preserving and improving the quality of health to the people we serve.
Our mission is to excel at meeting the needs of the whole person through the provision of quality healthcare and health related services.

Our Vision

Trinity Health will be recognized as the preferred regional healthcare provider. Trinity Hospital will achieve and sustain excellence by:

• Being futuristic and proactive in continuous performance improvements.
• Exceeding professional quality standards and customer expectations.
• Providing sensitivity in service delivery and excellence in skills.
• Efficient utilization of resources.

 Our Values

Committed to the continuous improvement of quality, the employees, medical staff, board of directors and volunteers of Trinity Health uphold the following values:

• INTEGRITY: A personal belief that as individuals we uphold our principles and conduct ourselves with honor.
• ACCOUNTABILITY: In recognizing our responsibilities we will be accountable for all that we do.
• PASSION: Personal commitment to make a difference in providing care for others.
• RESPECT: A regard for the uniqueness of the human spirit and the dignity of others.
• TEAMWORK: Recognizing the value in and contribution from each part of the whole.

Trinity Health is comprised of Trinity Hospital, a 147 licensed bed, acute care, full-service hospital.  Trinity Health St. Joseph’s, a 165 licensed bed facility with 20 inpatient rehabilitation beds, a 26-bed inpatient behavioral health unit, a 33-bed chemical dependency treatment unit and medical detox for adults, as well as a sleep center.  Finally, Kenmare Hospital is a 25-bed critical access facility with 4 acute beds, 21 swing beds, and a 24-hour emergency department.  Combined, Trinity Health has more than 250 providers covering over 40 specialties.  Trinity Health also has a 161-bed skilled nursing facility.  As the region’s preferred provider of medical services, Trinity Health serves as a center for cardiac surgery, cardiovascular diseases, Hospitalist service, Oncology/Hematology, Infectious Disease, Psychiatry, Pulmonary/Critical Care, Rehabilitation medicine, Newborn intensive care (NICU), Kidney Dialysis, Neurosurgery, General Surgery, Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Women’s and Children’s health, and more.  Trinity Health was initially verified in 1995 by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 2 Trauma Center.  Trinity Health is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), most recently accredited in 2021. For more information visit www.trinityhealth.org

Department of Pharmacy:

Mission

To provide safe, quality, cost-effective pharmaceutical care and be recognized as experts of medication management processes across the continuum of care.

Vision

To achieve high levels of performance and service excellence, promote collaboration, inspire innovation, and ensure strong financial performance with pharmacy services for the organization and the patients we serve.
The Department of Pharmacy partners with NDSU College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Allied Sciences and serves as a teaching site for IPPE and APPE pharmacy students.

Pharmacy preceptors act as role models during the residency program, providing residents the opportunity to learn and apply concepts and techniques to develop their pharmaceutical practice. Our preceptors provide residents with instruction, demonstrations and constructive feedback to aid them in accomplishing their goals throughout the residency program. Many preceptors have dual roles in ambulatory care, in-patient, and outpatient services. The following lists preceptors by their primary role or areas of interest.

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Scope of Services

The Pharmacy Enterprise at Trinity Health is under the direct supervision of the Director of Pharmacy and is open 24-7-365.  Our pharmacy employs highly qualified professionally licensed pharmacists and technicians so that robust, comprehensive pharmaceutical care can be provided for patients of all ages and levels of acuity across the Trinity Health enterprise.

The department provides a wide range of central and decentralized services including pharmaceutical care, technical support, education, and other services as needed or requested.  The organization is technologically advanced using an electronic health record (Cerner®), computerized provider order entry, automated dispensing cabinets (Pyxis®ES), and bedside barcode management; all of which contribute to the organizations goal of providing safe, effective, quality care.  The pharmacy utilizes pharmacy‐wide perpetual inventory software called Pharmogistics® which communicates to a centralized storage carousel. The pharmacy also prepares compounded sterile products in a USP compliant clean room.

 As part of daily activities, pharmacists routinely assess pertinent patient information, such as demographic data, vital signs, laboratory values, medication regimens, medication compliance, and health insurance coverage. Pharmacists collaborate with members of the healthcare team, patients, families, and caregivers to provide safe, quality, patient-centered care. Pharmacy technicians assist in the delivery of pharmaceutical care under the direct supervision of a pharmacist. Established medical staff approved policies, procedures, protocols, therapeutic guidelines, and standards of pharmacy practice are followed as part of overall pharmaceutical care services. Standards of practice established by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists, North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Joint Commission, the United States Pharmacopeia, Drug Enforcement Agency and the Food and Drug Administration guide pharmacy services. The processes by which these services are provided are as follows:

1. Pharmacy staff members coordinate the storage, preparation, and distribution of all medications, including sterile products, and ensure full compliance with national practice standards across the entire Trinity Health enterprise.  This includes acute and primary care locations for all the providers and service lines previously outlined.
2. Medication orders are reviewed for appropriateness by a pharmacist.
3. Pharmaceutical needs of the patient are reassessed on an as-needed basis as the patient’s condition changes. Ongoing assessment of the individual patient’s needs through patient interviews, participation on medical rounds, review of the electronic medical record, daily review of medication profiles and laboratory data, and consultation with team members ensures that optimum medication therapy is prescribed. In addition, pharmacists coordinate the ordering, timing, and evaluation of serum drug concentrations, adjust doses for altered renal function, intermittent dialysis, convert routes of medication administration, modify therapy to standardized doses as needed, and provide pharmacokinetic recommendations according to medical staff approved protocols.
4. Pharmacists initiate drug therapy regimens including the ordering of laboratory tests to monitor drug therapy for safety and efficacy as authorized through medical staff approved protocols. Pharmacists also adjust medication start times to reflect appropriate continuity of care based upon medication history information obtained from the patient or other sources.
5. Patient progress and recommendations regarding medication use are communicated to the primary provider and documented in the electronic health record.
6. Pharmacists play a key role in the development and implementation of discharge planning. Responsibilities include educating patients and facilitating safe transitions of care. Pharmacists help reconcile discharge medication orders with the patient’s inpatient and prehospitalization home medication regimens to assure safe transitions of care and appropriateness of medication use to reduce the risk of readmissions due to medication misadventures.
7. Pharmacists control the drug distribution systems to ensure that the right medication and dose are administered via the right route to the right patient at the right time.
8. Pharmacists assist in the monitoring, prevention, reporting and coordination of performance improvement activities across the continuum of care. Pharmacists provide oversight for adverse drug events, drug interactions, and medication errors.
9. Pharmacists develop, maintain, monitor, and enforce medication use policies, guidelines, and formulary restrictions to decrease variability, improve quality, and decrease cost. Patient population assessments are accomplished through medication use evaluation (MUE) studies. These evaluations are used to improve organizational performance.  The Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee provides oversight for all aspects of medication management across the enterprise.
10. Pharmacists assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of automation and clinical decision support designed to improve the safety and quality of care provided to patients. These services assist with enforcing standards of care, institutional guideline adherence, and regulatory compliance and to improve work efficiency and reduce costs.
11. Pharmacists provide reliable drug information to physicians, nurses, patients, and other members of the health care team to promote safe, effective, and efficient medication therapy.
12. Pharmacists help to educate pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, and are involved with continuing education through the provision of in-services for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Pharmacists also take an active role in providing medication therapy teaching to medical residents and other professional students.
13. Pharmacists serve on department- and organization-wide committees to promote evidence-based, patient-centered care.
14. Staff of the Trinity CancerCare pharmacy work closely with the Oncologists and other staff to provide a wide range of services including patient education, nurse education, advice on drug interactions, side effect management, new treatment insurance pre-authorizations, monitoring of patients receiving chemotherapy, evaluation of indications, labs, process chemotherapy orders, preparing and checking chemotherapy admixtures.  The cancer center also functions as an infusion center to provide a similar range of services to patients requiring injectable antibiotics, biologicals and other medical therapies prescribed in the outpatient setting.
15. Pharmacy provides ambulatory care services at Health Center – Medical Arts.  In collaboration with providers, a dedicated pharmacist helps manage patients with chronic health conditions and complex medication regimens, including those with uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.  The ambulatory care pharmacist provides intensive education and conducts motivational interviewing.  The pharmacist also helps providers and patients find affordable medications that will enhance adherence and ultimately improve outcomes.

PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program Purpose and Description

The PGY1 Pharmacy Residency program at Trinity Health is carried out in a contemporary setting where comprehensive central and decentralized clinical pharmacy services are combined with state-of-the-art technology.

Program Purpose:

According to ASHP, PGY1 residency programs build upon Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) education and outcomes to develop pharmacist practitioners with knowledge, skills, and abilities as defined in the educational competency areas, goals, and objectives. Residents who successfully complete PGY1 residency programs will be skilled in diverse patient care, practice management, leadership, and education, and be prepared to provide patient care, seek board certification in pharmacotherapy (i.e., BCPS), and pursue advanced education and training opportunities including postgraduate year two (PGY2) residencies.

The purpose of the PGY1 pharmacy residency program at Trinity Health is to accelerate the resident’s abilities beyond entry-level professional competence in pharmacy operational services and direct patient-centered care to confidently practice in a community-based acute care setting that provides extensive clinical and operational services to diverse patient populations in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians.

Program Description:

The PGY-1 pharmacy residency program conducted at Trinity Health in Minot, North Dakota is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacist (ASHP) since 2012 and achieved reaccreditation in 2019. Trinity Health’s Pharmacy Residency Program is a 52-week post-graduate training experience for pharmacists who seek to acquire and expand their existing skill set.  The program offers an organized and directed opportunity to develop advanced knowledge and clinical skills, and proficiency in managing complex drug therapy regimens.  The program will nurture professionalism, and focus on evidence-based, patient-centered medication therapy management.  This residency will provide pharmacists with confidence in the provision of direct patient care, managing medication-use processes and working in collaboration with providers and other healthcare affiliates.  Throughout the program, residents will gain communication skills by providing medication and practice related education to fellow pharmacists, medical staff, students, patients, and caregivers.  Residents completing the PGY1 program at Trinity Health will be prepared to provide patient-centered care to a diverse patient population. Pharmacists who successfully complete the residency program will be able to function effectively as independent clinicians on a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Residents will also have ample opportunity to develop leadership skills in many areas of pharmacy practice management, project management skills, and develop basic clinical research skills.

Learning Experiences:

The Residency Program at Trinity Health is designed to provide training in all areas of medication management within the scope of pharmacy practice.  Completion of the following learning experiences are required:

• Orientation (Hospital and Pharmacy)
• Pharmacy Operations and Staffing*
• General Medicine (I and II)
• Critical Care
• Administration (Practice Management)
• Infectious Disease
• Ambulatory Care
• Oncology
• Project
• Drug Information Service
• Teaching Certificate Program**

*Staffing shall include one full day per pay period (every two weeks) and one weekend per month.  The first half of the year will consist of clinical weekend duties with assistance and the second half shall include successful staffing of other shifts.
** Teaching Certificate Program:  The Teaching Certificate program is a required learning experience provided in conjunction with North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy.  The resident must successfully complete the teaching certificate program to receive a certificate of completion for the residency program.

Potential elective rotations include:

• Clinical Informatics
• Home Health/Hospice
• Emergency Medicine
• Repeat other required learning experiences up to one time.

Program Structure

Each pharmacy resident shall complete eight different rotations varying between 4-, 5-, or 6-week durations; and 4 longitudinal rotations, throughout the 52-week program.

Program Structure (Block) – subject to minor adjustments as authorized by the RAC:

Learning Experience	Required	Month Started	Duration
Orientation	Yes	July	4 weeks
General Medicine 1	Yes	August	5 weeks
Infectious Disease	Yes	September	4 weeks
Critical Care	Yes	October	6 weeks
Practice Management	Yes	November	4 weeks
Project work
ASHP Midyear Poster Presentation	Yes	December	4 weeks
Oncology	Yes	January	6 weeks
General Medicine 2	Yes	February	5 weeks
Ambulatory Care	Yes	March/April	6 weeks
Elective 1	No	May	4 weeks
Elective 2	No	June	4 weeks

Program Structure (Longitudinal) – subject to minor adjustments as authorized by the RAC:

Learning Experience	Required	Month Started	Duration
Project	Yes	July	12 months
Staffing	Yes	August	12 months
Drug Information Service	Yes	August	12 months
Teaching Certificate	Yes	September	12 months

Requirements for Completion:

The following are minimum requirements needed to successfully complete the PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program at Trinity Health, Minot, ND and receive a certificate of completion as defined by the Residency Advisory Committee (RAC).  The resident is provided this list prior to interviewing and during orientation.  The RAC evaluates the list monthly with the resident and lists completion dates accordingly.

In the event there is an unplanned leave of absence that interferes with the resident’s ability to complete the following requirements, the residency program director and RAC will work with the resident to assign appropriate tasks with an appropriate timeline to replace the listed requirements, which may result in an extension of the resident’s program.  The Resident must submit a written request for exemption to the Residency Program Director if there are unforeseen circumstances the Resident feels would prevent him/her from fulfilling one or more of the listed program requirements. This request must be reviewed and approved by the RAC in order to receive a Certificate of Completion.

Requirement

Licensed in North Dakota by October 1

Completes sterility testing and can perform sterile product preparation

Presented poster at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting

Presented project at Midwest Pharmacy Residency Conference

Satisfactorily completes all required learning experiences (1)

The resident is expected to have earned an assessment of “Achieved” for ≥ 95% the ASHP required objectives deemed critical(2) by the program and >80% of all other objectives. No objectives can have a final assessment of “Needs Improvement”.

Complete a resident project including a manuscript suitable for publication

Completes staffing requirements as evidenced by sufficient progression with order actions and clinical interventions (3)

Completes or co-authors and presents an Medication Use Evaluation

Presents a minimum of 4 times during pharmacy consult rounds

Prepares and presents one P&T formulary monograph

Completed and signed all required evaluations on time

Adherence to all of Trinity Health policies, procedures, and behavioral standards; including timely, and consistent attendance

Routine meeting attendance and participation including weekly pharmacy meetings, RAC meetings, P&T Committee meetings, and Medication Safety meetings (4)

Completed 12-months of residency training

Completes a resident binder (portfolio) that contains required documents & projects

• Required learning experiences: Orientation, General Medicine I, Infectious Disease, Critical Care, Administration (Practice Management), General Medicine II, Project, Ambulatory Care, Oncology, Pharmacy Practice (Staffing), Teaching Certificate Program and Drug Information Service.
• Critical Objectives: R1.1.1, R1.1.2, R1.1.3, R1.1.4, R1.1.5, R1.1.6, R1.1.7, R1.1.8, R1.2.1, R1.3.1, R1.3.2, R1.3.3, R2.1.1, R2.1.2, R3.1.1, R3.1.2, R3.2.4.
• *Staffing shall include one shift per pay period (every two weeks) and one weekend per month. The first half of the year will consist of clinical weekend duties with assistance and the second half shall include successful staffing of other pharmacy shifts). Sufficient progress will be determined through routine (usually monthly), assessment by the RAC.
• The resident may be excused from certain meetings if it conflicts with other important residency requirements. This should be determined with the preceptor(s) of the impacted rotation in conjunction with the program director.

  

Program Details and Application Process:

Information:

• Number of positions: 1
• Duration of Residency: 52 weeks
• Application deadline: January 15^th
• Starting date: Late-June, and no later than July 1^st
• Stipend: $46,000 (plus benefits)
• Visit Online Directory (ashp.org)

Applications:

Eligible candidates for PGY-1 pharmacy residencies must have:

• A Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from an accredited college of pharmacy,
• A pharmacist license or be eligible for licensure in North Dakota,
• Letter of interest, college transcript, Curriculum Vitae, three letters of recommendation

Program Application:

• Trinity utilizes the Pharmacy Online Residency Centralized Application Service (PhORCAS) for all pharmacy residency applications. PHORCAS2023
• Applications and all supporting documents are due by January 15th.
• Candidates must also register with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Resident Matching Program, which makes all appointments. Match results are released in late March. ASHP Match (natmatch.com)

 

Program Contacts:

Residency Program Director: Terry D Altringer, Pharm.D.
(701) 418-8230
Email: [email protected]

Director of Pharmacy: Carolyn R. Seehafer, Pharm.D.
(701) 418-8232
Email: [email protected]

Residency Advisory Committee (RAC):

• The Residency Advisory Committee consists of the program director, Director of Pharmacy, and all preceptors. The resident also attends meetings unless excused due to staffing or other obligations.
• The RAC meets on a monthly basis, but no less than quarterly.
• The purpose of the RAC is to establish and maintain ASHP- accredited pharmacy residency program requirements and to serve as the team who establishes policy and program structure, amongst other responsibilities.
• The committee shall assure:
  • The program adheres to organizational, departmental, and ASHP outlined standards.
  • Ensure program goals and objectives are met.
  • Resident adheres to and achieves the program requirements for successful completion.
  • Provide mentorship and guidance to the resident.

Residency Advisory Committee

Click Here to view the residency advisory committee

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Click here to view the FAQ’s