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Mount Nittany Health is fortunate to employ some of the most talented and dedicated medical professionals in the healthcare industry. Amanda Holyk, PharmD, BCCCP, Pharmacy Supervisor at Mount Nittany Medical Center, is one of the many employees receiving national recognition and accolades for her contributions to science and her commitment to medical excellence.
In addition to serving on the executive committee for the Pennsylvania Society of Critical Care Medicine, she is facilitating change and improving patient care by conducting extensive research in several different fields. Recently, Amanda presented at the Society of Critical Care Medicine Annual Congress and was published in two well-known scientific journals: Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (JPEN) and Critical Care Medicine.
Recognized as one of the top pharmacy articles published in the last two years at the SCCM annual congress, Amanda was the primary investigator on a study that focused on volume-based feeding in critically ill patients. While enteral nutrition (EN) in critically ill patients is accepted, it often does not meet recommended nutrition goals. This study came to the following conclusion: “Volume-Based Feeding (VBF) demonstrated a significant increase in energy and protein delivery with no major safety or tolerability issues. VBF should be considered for use in ICU patients to optimize nutrition delivery.” You can read the full text of Amanda’s research on this important subject here. This study was also referenced in the 2022 ASPEN consensus statement on enteral nutrition.
Amanda discusses her passion for conducting research: “A drive to pursue clinical research was instilled in me as a student and grew during my years of residency. Appropriate trial design, data collection and statistics are all complex pieces of this that I have enjoyed learning. My favorite part is being able to answer or at least add more data to a clinical question that is meaningful.”
Equally dedicated to improving patient care at Mount Nittany Health, Amanda recently presented a multidisciplinary initiative to improve sepsis care in the Emergency Department at Mount Nittany Medical Center to the Society of Critical Care Medicine Annual Congress. As one of the leading causes of death in hospitals, rapid diagnosis and treatment is critical in preventing mortality from sepsis. A few of the many interventions Amanda and other key stakeholders implemented in Mount Nittany Medical Center’s Emergency Department were revised sepsis screening criteria, educational programming, revisions to sepsis alerts, and an Emergency Department Pharmacist sepsis initiative. Amanda and her team came to the conclusion that at the community hospital level, many actions can be taken to improve sepsis care.
Amanda recognizes the importance of her research at an organizational level: “I may be biased, but I think our pharmacy team at Mount Nittany Medical Center is excellent and they do really great work on a daily basis. I would like to be able to highlight the impact of these interventions on patient safety, outcomes and financial stewardship.”
Mount Nittany Health applauds Amanda’s many research endeavors and her commitment to providing exceptional clinical care. Her essential work is contributing to our mission of “Healthier people, stronger community.”
