RxMike

Pharmacy Technician Day 2010

// October 1st, 2010 // 7 Comments » // Pharmacy Technician

October 26, 2010 marks the 20th annual National Pharmacy Technician Day, and there is only one thing I’d like to say—two words pharmacy technicians don’t hear often enough—THANK YOU!

• Thank you for working on the front lines of pharmacy.
• Thank you for dealing with the insurance companies.
• Thank you for your patience and compassion.
• Thank you for learning to read doctors’ handwriting.
• Thank you for being committed.
• Thank you for dealing with rude patients.
• Thank you for keeping the pharmacy stocked.
• Thank you for making the pharmacy run smoothly.
• Thank you for your professionalism.
• Thank you for smiling…despite being overworked and underpaid.
• Thank you for…Helping America Feel Better.

To learn more about National Pharmacy Technician Day or for resources and ideas on how to celebrate, visit www.pharmacytechnician.org/2010

Let’s keep this list going…
Leave a reply with other Thank You statements.

Sharks & Medicine – Two of My Favorite Topics

// August 3rd, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Pharmacy Technician, Scuba Diving, Sharks, Uncategorized

This Monday marked the beginning of the Discovery Channel’s famous Shark Week, and if you are just as fascinated by sharks as I am, then you have been looking forward to it all year. Sharks have been a source of inspiration, fascination and fear in mankind for centuries. There are probably as many ancient legends and myths surrounding sharks as there are books and movies in today’s popular culture. Some of these myths still persist today. Cultures portray sharks as vicious man-eaters, some revered sharks as gods and spirits to be worshipped and respected, and some myths attest to the health benefits of sharks.

Here is a list of the top four myths surrounding the health and medical benefits of sharks and the facts behind the myths that pharmacy technicians can share with their friends, family, co-workers and fellow shark enthusiasts.

1. Shark cartilage helps cure cancer: This is one of the most recent myths about the health benefits of sharks, and it started with the 1992 publication of the book Sharks Don’t Get Cancer by I. William Lane. According to the book, sharks have powerful immune systems that protect them from cancer, viruses and many other kinds of human diseases. Humans can take a piece of that immune system by taking shark cartilage. The cartilage is often extracted from the heads and fins of sharks and sold as a dietary supplement under the names Carticin, Cartilade™, BeneFin™, Neovastat (AE-941). Researchers are still looking into the possible health benefits, if any, of shark cartilage, but little to no evidence exists that shark cartilage has any effect on cancer. Also, modern studies have proven that sharks actually do get cancer like everyone else.




2. Shark fin soup increases virility and is full of nutrition: Shark fin soup is a dish served in Asian countries, but no scientific studies have proven that it has any significant health benefits.  In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued advisories for consumers to avoid eating shark due to the fact that it can contain high levels of mercury.




3. Shark liver oil will protect against any disease: Shark liver oil has been used for centuries as a folk remedy to treat wounds. In fact, some formulations of Preparation H contain shark liver oil. Some proponents claim that shark liver oil is rich in vitamins, omega fatty acids and alkylglycerols (all of which are believed to help boost the immune system) and will protect against any disease from the common cold to Alzheimer’s disease to cancer. While shark liver oil does have some common uses,  researchers have yet to find a definitive link between shark liver oil and increased immune function.




4. Capsaicin works as a shark repellant: As many pharmacy technicians know, capsaicin is often used in topical creams to relieve arthritis and other pains, but it is also the chemical that gives chili peppers their spice. For this reason, capsaicin was featured on a special Shark Week edition of Mythbusters. The myth was that Kuna people of Panama used the capsaicin that gives chili peppers their spice as a shark repellant. The Mythbusters put the myth to the test by filling balloons with a special mix of water and habanero pepper juice and attaching the balloons to a bait box inside a shark swimming pool. Unfortunately, the capsaicin did nothing to make the bait any less desirable to the sharks.

Have you heard a myth about the health benefits of sharks or other animals? Share some of the most interesting myths you’ve heard about animals and medicine with NPTA on Facebook, Twitter or the comments section of this blog!

Which Is It?

// February 9th, 2010 // Comments Off // Pharmacy Technician

A job. A career. A profession. What is it, exactly, that you consider the role of a pharmacy technician to be? Within certain circles, this question has been the source for heated debates.  (Seriously?!) This question does, however, have implications on the perception and recognition of pharmacy technicians by both patients and pharmacists.

A job is defined as “a regular activity performed in exchange for payment, especially as one’s trade, occupation, or profession.”

A career is defined as “a profession for which one trains and which is undertaken as a permanent calling.”

A profession is defined as “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and preparation.”

In my opinion, for some, being a pharmacy technician is simply a job. For many others, it’s a career and it’s a profession. It all depends upon what an individual puts into it and, likewise, expects to get out of it. The individual  working as a pharmacy technician just while finishing college likely doesn’t view himself as a professional, whereas the mother of two who has been working as a pharmacy technician for 15 years probably does consider this her profession. This does not make one group “right” or “better than” another group.

For me personally, being a pharmacy technician is my profession and I’m proud to declare it as such.  I presume the same is true for the majority of our readers and members. However you choose to answer the question for yourself, remember to always demonstrate professionalism to your patients, your pharmacists and your co-workers.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Take our quick poll and voice your opinion as to whether you view pharmacy technician as a job, a career or a profession:

Networking 101 for Pharmacy Technicians

// May 26th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // Pharmacy General, Pharmacy Technician

net·work·ing – the process or practice of building up or maitaining informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as job or business opportunities.

Sounds boring, I know, but the truth is that networking with colleagues is critical to success…and with the advent of online social media networks, it can be a lot of fun.

Here are three steps to get started. (more…)

New Theory on Why Many RPhs Oppose Tech Standards

// March 29th, 2009 // 4 Comments » // Pharmacy General, Pharmacy Regulations, Pharmacy Technician

Why do so many pharmacists fiercely oppose requiring increased standards for pharmacy technician education, training, certification and recognition? This is the million dollar question. 

For the past ten years, I, along with most others, have assumed that the answer was (or a variation) that pharmacists viewed the advancement of pharmacy technicians as a direct, or implied, threat to their own job security. I’ve always known that it was a weak response to the question; pharmacists, after all, are very intelligent individuals…how could they accept such an absurd notion as “if pharmacy technicians are required to complete standardized education and take on more responsibilities in the pharmacy, they eventually won’t need me….the chains will realize that they can replace my $100k+ salary with a $30K salary…”? This is as ridiculous as pharmacy technicians opposing pharmacy automation for the same reasoning.
(more…)

SC Tech Bill to Require Compromise

// March 4th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Pharmacy Regulations, Pharmacy Technician

NPTA Board Member, Wendy Meigs, attended this hearing on Monday and testified in support of the proposed legislation.

A House bill to require two-thirds of the state’s pharmacy technicians to meet new education and training requirements has stalled.
(more…)

SC: The Next Battleground

// February 19th, 2009 // Comments Off // Pharmacy Regulations, Pharmacy Technician

House Bill 3394 has been introduced in the South Carolina State Legislature to enhance the regulations and requirements to practice as a pharmacy technician.

The South Carolina Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which assisted in drafting the legislation, is in full support, whereas the South Carolina Pharmacy Association intends to see the bill overturned.

NPTA has been invited to review the current draft of the legislation and participate in upcoming House Subcomittee Hearings; it appears that South Carolina has become the next battleground for NPTA and pharmacy technicians.

Iowa Reconsiders Tech Certification Requirements

// February 5th, 2009 // Comments Off // Legislative, Pharmacy Regulations, Pharmacy Technician

Looks as if the chains are trying to make a loophole in Iowa pharmacy technician regulations.
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As the deadline looms for pharmacy technicians to obtain certification, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy is attempting to clearly define workers who are pharmacy technicians and those classified as pharmacy support persons.

The law requiring pharmacy technicians to be certified, passed in 2006, was backed by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy and requires pharmacy technicians to be certified before working in any Iowa pharmacy. Currently, registered pharmacy technicians must be certified no later than July 1, 2010. The controversy began after the adoption of the rules established after the bill’s passage, said Terry Witkowski, executive officer with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

Now a separate piece of legislation, House Study Bill 51 is expected to redefine who must be certified as a pharmacy technician. “There has been a request that the [Iowa pharmacy] board move to recognize individuals who are not involved in the more complex practices relating to pharmacy technicians,” Witkowski said. “People who may be working at a pharmacy and assisting a pharmacist, but not really directly handling the drugs, would be defined as a pharmacy support person.”

The new legislation would still require pharmacy support staff to be certified, but there would be no establishment of competency and no minimum age requirement as there are for pharmacy technicians.
(Drug Topics)

Certification News

// January 28th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Legislative, Pharmacy Regulations, Pharmacy Technician

PTCB has announced that beginning April 1, 2009, the PTCB Examination will be available in continuous testing format at Pearson Professional Centers nationwide. PTCB also announced that exam candidates will receive an official pass or fail result at the test center after the completion of the exam, effective immediately.

ICPT’s ExCPT certification exam has been added to the list of recognized certification exams for pharmacy technicians in the state of Nevada.

Tech Charged in Medication Theft

// January 14th, 2009 // Comments Off // Pharmacy General, Pharmacy Technician

The Salem News reports that a pharmacy technician at the Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital has been arrested after police found three bags containing dozens of types of medication in a car outside the hospital Sunday evening.

Wanda Lopez, 24, of 157 Maple St., Danvers, was seen by hospital staff bringing several bags out of the hospital, according to police, who were called by hospital security shortly after 7 p.m. Police found more than 61 different types of medications, from aspirin to Zyprexa, a prescription anti-psychotic, in three bags inside a car registered to her father-in-law, who gave permission for police to search the vehicle. Police do not know what Lopez intended to do with the large amount of medication, said Salem police Lt. Conrad Prosniewski.

Read the full story go to http://tinyurl.com/axkz6z