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Technician Corner
A Newco mer Perspective Expo 2020 By: Julie Lange, CPhT & Lori Foster, CPhT
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During the 2020 Midwest Pharmacy Expo, I experienced a new Expo. I have been attending the event alone for years, but this year a technician friend of mine was able to attend with me. Because she had heard some of us talk about our previous experiences at Expo and decided to attend, I was given the opportunity to see Expo through the eyes of a newcomer.
We split hotel expenses and splurged for both Friday and Saturday night at the Downtown Hilton. This worked out very nicely for attending the early-morning PTCB presentation and breakfast. We enjoyed the panelists, as well as the latest information on the advanced credentials PTCB is developing. When attendees started gathering for the keynote speaker, I noticed some friendly faces and found that she knew some of the same people. My friend confessed that having the “First Time Attendee” flag on her nametag helped her interact with strangers.
Later, during lunch and the vendor fair, we collected freebies and visited with several vendors. We were excited to have the chance to speak with Ryan from PTCB in more detail. We had chosen to attend the same sessions that afternoon, and my friend commented how nice it was that the sessions started and ended as scheduled. We then had an early supper and rested up for Sunday. As always, the Sunday sessions were information-packed. As we were driving back, we talked over some of the things we had learned and experiences we had.
Back at work, we had another chance to discuss Expo. I assisted her in entering the attendance codes for CPE credit. She was successful and greatly appreciated having the opportunity to evaluate the speakers through the follow-up survey. Although she did not get to use the Attendify app, I enjoyed it. From my perspective, I think she realized there is a lot of networking and learning to be gained all in one place. After Expo, my friend also chose to join the association. I hope each of you reading this will encourage someone you know to accompany you next year. ■
Coronavirus , Pande and Patient Questions Oh My ! From IPA’s March/April 2020 Tech Tidbits newsletter
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With coronavirus (COVID-19) causing quite the stir in the public attention, it could be helpful to review some facts about the illness, prevention, and how to answer questions that patients may come to the pharmacy with.
There are seven known types of coronavirus, four of which are very common with most people contracting at least one in their lifetime, and three (including COVID-19) are rare but more serious. Symptoms are general, including fever, cough, and trouble breathing. The virus is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and tiny droplets are passed to a nearby person by the person touching the droplets to their mouth, nose, eyes, or inhaling them (generally about 6 feet maximum). The best way to minimize the risk of contracting the illness is to wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or use an alcohol-based (at least 60-95%) hand sanitizer. Also, regularly clean all surfaces that are touched throughout the day. At this time, the risk for Iowans is low and only associated with travel to mainland China within the last 14 days; however, this is a dynamic and rapidly changing situation that could be updated at any moment so focus on staying up to date with the newest announcements from the CDC and the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Mythbusters:
The public should wear masks to avoid getting sick.
BUSTED CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a healthcare professional recommends it. A facemask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of facemasks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
Warm weather will stop the virus from spreading.
UNDETERMINED It is not yet known whether weather and temperature impact the spread of COVID-19. Some other viruses, like the common cold and flu, spread more during cold weather months, but that does not mean it is impossible to become sick with these viruses during other months.
Packages from China may be infected with COVID-19.
BUSTED People receiving imported goods from China are not at risk of contracting COVID-19. Coronaviruses do not survive long on objects such as letters or packages.
I need to avoid animals if I contract COVID-19.
TRUE You should restrict contact with pets and other animals while you are sick with COVID-19, just like you would around other people. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus.
Pregnant women are at higher risk.
UNDETERMINED Pregnant women experience immunologic and physiologic changes, which might make them more susceptible to viral respiratory infections, including
COVID-19. Pregnant women also might be at risk for severe illness, morbidity, or mortality compared to the general population, as observed in cases of other related coronavirus infections and other viral respiratory infections, such as influenza, during pregnancy.
It is okay for a person who has been quarantined for COVID-19 to be back in the general public. TRUE For COVID-19, the period of quarantine is 14 days from the last date of exposure, because 14 days is the longest incubation period seen for similar coronaviruses. Someone who has been released from COVID-19 quarantine is not considered a risk for spreading the virus to others because they have not developed illness during the incubation period.
**IPA recognizes this global threat is continually evolving, so please continue to watch for information from the CDC and public health officials on this urgent issue** ■
References: 1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html 2. https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus
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Join IPA Now & Get FREE CE CEImpact’s Technician Catalog is an online subscription with accessible and convenient continuing education courses for technicians to recertify and advance their career path.
Members: Login at www.iarx.org/cei_libraries to take advantage of this new benefit for members & spread the word to your colleagues.
Newly Certified Iowa Pharmacy Technicians January 1, 2020 – March 31, 2020
Congratulations to the following pharmacy technicians on becoming PTCB-certified!
Mina Abdelmalek Jay Adams Rhett Allen Kelly Andersen Andjela Andric Elainia Barber Irene Bradley Leah Butler Barbara Carpenter Brandon Carson Marlene Cuauhtenango Meagan Davis Laura De Penning Savana Dettmann Destinee Fusaro Jodi Galindo Ali Goldensoph Cierra Gowin Alexis Hageman Ian Hantelmann Emilie Heggen Thuy Ho April Kress Crystal Kuster Madeline Lamson Olivia Laszlo Tom Le Courtney Lines Andrew Macmahon Brenda Mahecha Deanna Maher Benjamin Maliske Melanie Mensen Magdy Mesdary Zachary Mitchell Jill Mouw Kendal Newman James Nichols Ethan Osuch Megan Peek Alexander Penk Dawn Phillips-Hite Karla Plender Amanda Prins Sheila Roe Meghan Ryan Brianna Sackett James Schafer Madison Shover Joshua Sikrisamouth Elissa Smith Kelly Smith David Strudwick Kali Thoma Jonte Toro Ciera Tripp Sidney Vancil Mary Vannice Jason Vipond Krista Waite Amber Wedo Linde Wilson Annabelle Wilson Stacy Woods
Heart disease #1 cause of United States for 1 in every
From IPA’s February 2020 Tech Tidbits newsletter
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Five years ago, we introduced you to the Million Hearts Campaign – a nationally driven initiative launched in 2012 with a goal to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. In this initial campaign, it is estimated that Million Hearts was able to help prevent a half a million cardiovascular events from 2012-2016. If you didn’t know, Million Hearts has been evaluated, analyzed, and revamped into Million Hearts 2022. Million Hearts 2022 builds upon the experience, expertise, partnerships, and progress of the first five years, and identifies three specific priorities for these next five years to reduce heart attacks and strokes. These include keeping people healthy, optimizing care, and improving outcomes for priority populations.
“Keeping People Healthy” • Reduce the amount of sodium intake • Decrease tobacco use • Increase physical activity
“Optimizing Care” • Improve use of ABCS (Aspirin, Blood pressure control, Cholesterol Management, and Smoking Cessation) • Increase use of cardiac rehabilitation • Engage patients in heart-healthy behaviors.
“Improving Outcomes for Priority Populations” • African Americans • Patients aged 35-64 years old • Patients who have had a previous heart attack or stroke • Patients with mental illness • Patients with substance use disorders •
What can you do to make a difference? Pharmacy technicians can play an instrumental role in the Million Hearts 2022 Initiative. Talk to your patients – get to know them! When you see a patient picking up a prescription for heart-related medication, take the opportunity to educate them and provide resources.
• Encourage your patients to get enrolled in medication synchronization (or a similar program) to help increase adherence to their medications • Discuss programs/services that your pharmacy may offer, such as smoking cessation classes, free blood pressure checks, cholesterol screenings, or dietician services • Consider a workflow that supports checking patients’ blood pressure with every vaccination or medication therapy management (MTM) session- even if they haven’t been diagnosed with hypertension! • Offer resources to your patients such as brochures on heart disease, information on the DASH diet, or website links (such as this Million Hearts Learn & Prevent tab) • Encourage your patients to talk with the pharmacist and ask questions about their medications and healthcare • Provide your patient with support and empathy when they have changes in their medication regimens and/or health status ■
Resources: https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/about-million-hearts/index.html https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/files/MH-Framework.pdf
