TECHNICIAN CORNER
TECHNICIAN SPOTLIGHT: MICHELLE GARVIN, MA, CRC, CPHT
W
ester Drug in Muscatine, Iowa, has been a part of evolving pharmacy practice throughout its lifetime and has been especially active in COVID-19 immunization efforts. A key player in these efforts is Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Vice President and co-owner, Michelle Garvin. As technicians evolve in their roles and become immunizers in a much-needed time, Garvin has been a resource for the pharmacy and for patients to enhance patient care.
According to Garvin, the biggest impact the pharmacy has had on the community is giving people a sense of hope throughout the pandemic. While there are many discussions about a “new normal” or “when the pandemic is over,” immunizations give the community hope for an end to the craziness and anxiousness experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it’s vaccinating frontline workers or a teacher who has been unable to enter a classroom for close to a year, giving hope matters.
Michelle Garvin began her pharmacy journey with her husband, Corey Garvin, PharmD, at a chain pharmacy in Ohio in 1998. Her background in mental health has had influence on her career as a technician and passions for evolving pharmacy practice. In addition to her involvement with IPA, Garvin is a member of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and currently serves on the stakeholder advisory council.
Moving forward as a technician, Garvin hopes to receive Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT-Adv) certification. To be eligible, candidates must hold active PTCB CPhT Certification and complete the following: at least 3 years of work experience as a pharmacy technician within the past 8 years, and at least four PTCB Assessment-Based Certificate Programs, or three Certificate Programs and the Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician® (CPST®) Certification. Programs such as advanced certification are one way that Garvin sees the role of pharmacy technicians evolving.
Wester Drug is an independent pharmacy involved with IPA, NCPA and CPESN-IA, as well as an active participant in Flip the Pharmacy. In its involvement with CPESN and Flip the Pharmacy, Wester Drug places a focus on clinical-based services, including a clinical CPAP program, nutrition counseling, and professional consultation on vitamins and minerals. The pharmacy has been administering immunizations for several years, but expanded immunization authority given to technicians during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed Garvin to become certified as a CPhT. She took full advantage of the opportunity to become an immunizer, and having an extra immunizer on site or at clinics was a major benefit for the pharmacy. This meant that more immunizations could be administered, and pharmacists could spend more time having meaningful discussions with patients. As a tenured technician, Garvin stated the certification process was smooth. However, more inexperienced technicians might take longer to digest the required coursework for certification.
Michelle Garvin, MA, CRC, CPhT Pharmacy Technician Wester Drug
As the role of pharmacy technicians evolves, Garvin emphasizes her views on provider status for pharmacists, an effort that has been central to IPA. As pharmacists become more involved in clinical roles, technicians can better support patient care. Technicians playing more active and expanded roles in clinical support and working with pharmacists on patient care creates more opportunities for meaningful interventions on the pharmacist’s side of care and gives more time for pharmacist-patient education. Technicians have had significant roles in immunizing for COVID-19. Garvin is passionate about maintaining immunizer status for technicians in the coming flu season. Thank you, Michelle, for all of your hard work at the pharmacy and for the profession, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic! ■
FREE TECHNICIAN CPE IPA Pharmacy Technician members receive a FREE subscription to CEimpact’s Pharmacy Technician CE Service with access to 1 hour of learning each month on various topics needed for recertification. Log in to your IPA account at www.iarx.org/cei_libraries to take advantage of your membership benefit and ACTIVATE your subscription.
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