Scott Bolesta

His Story

Dr. Bolesta received his PharmD degree from the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. He completed a Pharmacy Practice residency at the University of Arizona Medical Center, and a specialty residency in critical care at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. Dr Bolesta is a Board Certified Critical Care Pharmacist and a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. His research interests include iatrogenic withdrawal and cardiovascular science, specifically the prevalence, assessment and prevention of iatrogenic withdrawal in the critically ill, and postoperative atrial fibrillation in cardiac surgery patients.

Dr. Bolesta is a tenured Professor of Pharmacy Practice in the Nesbitt College of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. He has over 20 years of experience in acute care pharmacy practice in the areas of critical care and internal medicine, and has a critical care clinical practice associated with his academic appointment at Commonwealth Health’s Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.

Overview of Facility/Health System

Wilkes University is a liberal arts university located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees, including three professional degree programs and one doctoral program. The Nesbitt College of Pharmacy was established in 1996 and has a 2-4 year program structure, admitting 65 students to each first-professional year class. Wilkes-Barre General Hospital is Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest community hospital, with 412 beds and a medical staff of more than 400 physicians representing nearly 50 medical and surgical specialties. The intensive care unit at Wilkes-Barre General hospital opened in March 2018 and is a two-story 34-bed patient care unit that supports the hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute and neurosurgery, surgery and emergency departments.

Significant Projects

I recently served as the principal investigator for the AduLt iatrogEnic withdRawal sTudy in the ICU (ALERT-ICU). This study aimed to determine the opioid and sedative weaning and withdrawal practices being utilized for adult ICU patients. It was a one-day observational point prevalence study that included 88 hospitals from 11 countries, which screened 2437 patients in 236 ICUs, and enrolled 1506 patients who received parenteral opioids or sedatives in the previous 24 hours.

Advice for Someone New to Your Specialty Area

Look to develop professional relationships with other providers not only by being an excellent pharmacist and clinician, but by collaborating with providers from other disciplines in your practice setting to expand patient care services, improve quality of care and outcomes, and conduct projects and research that ultimately benefit patient care.

What is your current involvement with ASHP?

I currently serve as an Alternate Delegate for Pennsylvania in the ASHP House of Delegates. I am also a member of the Council on Therapeutics. Within the Section of Clinical Scientists and Specialists I also serve as a member of the Section Advisory Group on Clinical Leadership. In addition, I serve as an ASHP Foundation Research Grant peer reviewer, regularly peer review submissions for the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, and peer review Midyear Clinical Meeting proposals and Summer Meeting abstracts.

Why did you become involved in ASHP?

I wanted to learn more about what ASHP does as an organization to promote the pharmacy profession and advance practice. I had always seen as a member what ASHP did in this regard from an outside perspective, but I wanted to have first-hand experience being a part what was being done to move and shape profession I am so passionate about.

How would you explain the value of ASHP to a friend or colleague? 

The value of ASHP goes beyond what you might merely experience as a member. Involvement in ASHP has brought fulfillment to my commitment as a pharmacist and healthcare provider. Through my yet brief involvement in the Council on Therapeutics and Section of Clinical Scientists and Specialists I have seen first-hand how ASHP shapes policy and the profession by a member-driven effort. This makes me proud to be a member of an organization that is shaping the profession of pharmacy through involvement of its members.

What is the value of ASHP for the profession? 

The value of ASHP to the pharmacy profession is that it provides a voice for its members to drive the direction in which the profession will head in the future. This can be done by simply being a member, or by becoming involved in ASHP through the various avenues by which the organization affords its members to help drive the profession forward.