Volume 26, Issue 7
Winter/Spring 2013
PTEC PODIUM
Inside this issue:
From the PresidentElect
1
A Look At Hansen’s
23
Health Literacy
4
Core Curriculum
56
Letter From the ED
7
For New Educators
8
Fun stuff
910
Taking Care of You
11
Member Spotlight
12
Can you guess?
13
PTCB Press Release
14
Award Info
15
Conference Info
1619
As you can see from the picture to your right, we’ve had a
few snowflakes in Kentucky
this season. If you are in our
Northern States (that’s you
Barb!) you might find our little
spats of snow laughable. If
you are from the deep South,
you might find it fascinating. I
have always found it a little
philosophical.
We all know that no two snowflakes are alike. That is true
of our PTEC members and
leaders. We all have unique
skills and characters and
each one of us is a thing of
beauty and wonder. We can
also change forms just like
the snowflake. We can melt
into water, freeze into ice, be
heated into steam. As true as
all of those thoughts, however, is the fact that when we
come together, we are a
force. A blizzard. A deluge. A
tropical storm.
I have been lucky to work with
the PTEC board for the past
two years as reporter. In that
time, I have tried to bring not
only news to you, our special
snowflakes, but ideas as well.
I have always asked myself,
“if I had to do this again, what
do I wish I had known?” At
some point, however, you
realize that you just might
have more answers than
questions. And when that
moment hits, you start to
realize your leadership potential.
Now no one ever has all the
answers. Not even close. I
have, on many occasions had
to bow to the knowledge of
my fellow board members,
present and past. I still do. I
could not know the history of
the state of affairs on Kentucky without our current
President, Jeannie Oldham. I
could never have begun to
understand all of the acronyms in our profession without Janet Liles. I could not
have smiled nearly as much
without Jason Sparks, and
consequently, made some of
you smile along the way. The
same can be said of Elina,
Elaine and Lisa…all dedicated
individuals willing to step up
and make decisions in the
best interest of every member.
Because it is in you, our members and friends, where all
the answers lie. We cannot
do this without you. We cannot publish a newsletter, plan
a conference, discuss mission
statements and by-laws without you and your input. We
have to know what we are
doing well, and what we can
do better. This organization
has a lot of history, but even
more of a future. It can be,
and needs to be, what you
want it to be.
Do you know the other fascinating thing about snow in
Kentucky? Sometimes it
sticks, and sometimes it
doesn’t. It just hits the
ground (which often is still
warm from the 70 degree day
before) and just disappears.
We’re not snow, however,
and we don’t have to disappear when the ground is too
warm. If one flake clings onto
a window sill, then another
will hold on tightly as well.
PTEC is a little like that. One
person, one program, stacking on top of the other until
the nation is stronger and
safer through highly trained
pharmacy technicians.
Now, enough thoughts of
snow – see you in San Diego!
Understanding Hanson’s Disease
Roderick D. Christopher
Jefferson Community and Technical College
Hansen's disease (also called Leprosy) was named after Doctor Gerhard Armauer Hansen, and
is a chronic disease caused by two types of Mycobacterium bacteria that are believed to be
transmitted via respiratory secretions. Oddly enough the only other creature able to catch the
disease other than humans is the nine-banded armadillo. The disease centers on the peripheral
nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, with skin lesions being the primary external
sign. Without proper treatment Hansons disease can progress causing irreparable damage to
the eyes, skin, limbs and nerves. Horrific disfiguration and possible loss of appendages can result from the condition not being treated.
The disease itself is almost the perfect parasite being that it rarely kills its host as it slowly and
methodically invades the body (Grice, 2000). Over 200,000 people worldwide are diagnosed
with this condition every year (World Health Organization, 2010).
Brief History
Hanson disease/Leprosy has afflicted humanity for well over 4000 years and is well documented by many of our oldest cultures in China, India & Egypt. The disease has mutated over the millennia but is still suspected to be from the same common strain (Barrett, 2005). Recent discoveries in northwestern India may have uncovered physical evidence of the first documentable
case dating to the 4th century BC, during the excavation of a rare (most are cremated) Hindu
grave site (Strickland, 2009). Another discovery on the Sinai peninsula is very interesting “one
of the oldest cases of hard evidence of the disease can be seen in the skulls of four Egyptians
from the second century B.C., whose faces seem to have eroded before death” (Barrett, 2005).
Leprosy has been intertwined with our history. Alexander the Greats armies brought the disease
back to the west after their march of conquest from Greece too India. Europe had two verifiable
points of infection, the first from the Roman colonization and the second when the Crusaders
returned from the Holy Lands (Medicine Net.Com, 2009). In the Middle Ages, The Holy See in
Rome eventually began to associate the disease with social deviance and divine punishment
and those with visible symptoms were cast out of their communities or placed into remote colonies to live out their days is exile. The Catholic Church even formalized this disenfranchisement
by creating a ceremony where the sufferer was pronounced dead and given orders forbidding
him/her from contact with the living. (Hayes, 2005). Sadly this commendation and forced isolation lead to the sufferers becoming targets of blame for many imagined crimes and natural disasters such as flood and famine.
Social stigmata remained a major concern into the late 1800’s in the western world and truly
did not start to dissipate until an effective treatment first appeared in the late 1930’s with dapsone and its derivatives. In some parts of the undeveloped world the disease still is accompanied by age old prejudices and superstitious beliefs but these are slowly being replaced through
various educational initiatives via organizations such as the International Association for Integration Dignity and Economic Advance (IDEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Having Hanson’s Disease
The disease has an incubation period of approximately 3-5 years between initial infection and the signs of the
first symptoms. There are two types of the affliction, the first and mildest is Paucibacillary (or Tuberculoid) leprosy, and the body is able to mount a strong cell-mediated immune response to the bacterium. Early signs are red
patches or sores on the body, stiffness and dryness of the skin, muscle weakness especially in the hands and
feet, eye problems and loss of sensation in affected areas. This form of Hanson’s disease is not infectious and
the chances of full recovery are very good. The second type is Multibacillary (or Lepromatous) leprosy where the
body is unable to mount a cell-mediated immune response to the bacterium. In this situation the afflicted person
could possibly be infectious due to high concentrations of the bacterium in respiratory secretions. Early signs are
red patches or sores on the body, stiffness and dryness of the skin, muscle weakness especially in the hands
and feet, eye problems, loss of sensation in afflicted areas, thickening skin on face, nasal stuffiness, bloody nose
and swelling of the lymph nodes. This type is possible to cure after intensive drug therapy.
If untreated, Hanson’s disease can be very progressive, causing permanent damage to the nerves, eyes, skin
and extremities of the sufferer. Early detection and education is key as recent studies show that something as
simple as a dose of arifampicin within 2 years of possible infection can reduce the rate of actually acquiring the
disease by approximately 57% (Batio, I,, & Vakawaletabua, M,. 2008).
Treatment
The first effective scientific treatment appeared in the late 1930’s with dapsone and its derivatives. While the
initial results of using dapsone were impressive it was soon found out that Multibacillary leprosy could not be
eradicated by the drug and that it would have to be taken indefinitely to nullify the diseases progress. Even more
unfortunate is that Multibacillary was evolving a resistance to dapsone due to its overuse and that by the 1960’s
the worlds only means of fighting leprosy was basically useless. It took until the early 1980’s and the new Multi
Drug Therapy (MDT) regimens for the world to once again be able to combat Hanson’s disease and finally have
the opportunity to conquer it. A 24 month treatment for Multibacillary cases was developed using rifampicin
(bactericidal antibiotic), clofazimine (uses here as an antiinflamitory to control erythema nodosum leprosum),and
dapsone (antibacterial) which proved highly effective. After this success a six month treatment for Paucibacillary
using rifampicin and dapson was introduced to celebrated effect (World Health Organization. 2010).
Global Management
The WHO feel that the global spread of the disease is under control in all but a few nations (Angola, Brazil, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and the United Republic of Tanzania) and this are on schedule to have the acceptable prevalence rate of less than one case per
10,000 persons. Currently the WHO "Final Push" strategy for elimination leprosy is
aimed at
not only making sure that the proper medican is available free to all suffers of the
disease,
but to also integrate treatment into the general healthcare system through education
of
healthcare professionals worldwide. This push hopefully will have the entire world in
compliance by approximately 2020. (World Health Organization, 2010).
References
Grice, G. (2000, November 1). Where Leprosy lurks.Discover, Retrieved from ttp://discovermagazine.com/2000/nov/featleprosy/
World Health Organization. (2010). Leprosy today. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/lep/en/
Hays, J.N. (2005). Epidemics and pandemics, their impacts on human history. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLINO Inc.
Barrett, R. (2005, June). History of leprosy. Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2005/Leprosy/hi story.html
Strickland, E. (2009, May 27). Found: the earliest known leprosy patient. Retrieved from http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/05/27/found-the-earliest-known
-leprosy-patient/
Medicine Net.Com,. (2009, January). Hansen's disease. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/leprosy/article.htm
Batio, I,, & Vakawaletabua, M,. (2008). A Short history of leprosy control in fiji. Pacific Health Voices, Retrieved from http://www.pacifichealthvoices.org/docs/History%
20of%20Leprosy%20Control%20in%20Fiji.pdf
Page 4
Health Literacy
Do you teach diversity awareness or basic communication
skills to your students? Have
you considered adding Health
Literacy to those topics?
Loosely, health literacy is the
ability to understand and act
on medical information. It’s
nothing new to us, really, We
know that people often do not
understand how to take their
medications, and sometimes
these tales become quite humorous. For example, we
have all heard one about the
parent who was putting the
“pink stuff” in the kid’s ear and
not understanding why they
weren’t improving. Ever had
a patient swallow a suppository? Call and ask for their
“blue vitamins”? Then you
know about the pitfalls of
health literacy.
Do you remember the first
time you were able to put
some of your new medical
knowledge into action? When
you realized all those medical
terminology classes paid off
because you actually understood what someone was
saying? It is normal and natural to want to jump into the
world of jargon head first. But
our patients, by far and large,
do not understand the same
language.
Here are some facts
from the American Medical Association:

42% of adults in the
US do not understand “take on an
empty stomach”

26% did not understand when their next
appointment is

78% misinterpret
warning labels on
prescriptions

86% do not understand the rights and
responsibilities of a
Medicaid application

In fact, 53% of the
population reads at
only an intermediate
level
Now, it is important to
remember that even highly educated and literate
people are often confused by medical information. The AMA notes
in their studies most of
the individual are older,
and this makes sense,
especially regionally. In
rural areas, especially in
the Great Depression and
thereafter, education was
secondary to putting food
on the table. So most
people in the US read at
about an 8th grade level,
but most medical information is written by people with post-graduate
degrees.
Add to this situations where English
is a second language, and understanding, and therefore adherence, becomes less and less
likely.
The AMA has a
manual and videos
that you can use to
educate your students. The video is
particularly poignant, as it has a pharmacy technician
admitting his literacy
issues.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.amaassn.org/ama/pub/a
bout-ama/amafoundation/ourprograms/publichealth/healthliteracyprogram/healthliteracy-kit.page?
Page 5
What is a core curriculum? It
is the realization of the concept that there are some
skills and theories that are
integral to all members of the
healthcare team. Healthcare
communication, medical terminology, basic pharmacology…everyone in every discipline from pharmacy to surgical technicians need some
basic understanding of these
issues and others. As part of
the Health Professions Pathways Consortium, several
colleges around the country
are developing this curricula
as part of a national H2P
grant. Below are some questions and answers from Dr.
Carolyn O’Daniel, Dean of
Allied Health and Nursing and
Jefferson Community and
Technical College, as posed
by Margot McGowen, student
success coach.
“To catch the reader's
attention, place an
interesting sentence or
quote from the story
here.”
1. If I understand H2P correctly, One component of it
is to offer a core curriculum
for people considering a
career in allied health. We
spoke about the similarities
in medical terminology for
most prospective healthcare
workers. Can you describe
other aspects of the core
curriculum?
Jefferson Community and
Technical College Is currently
piloting the first level of a twolevel certificate program in
Foundations of health
Care. The first level is Basic
Foundations, and it consists
of four courses (eleven total
credit hours):
Medical Terminology
Healthcare Communication
Healthcare Delivery and
Management
Basic Healthcare Skills I
The second level is Intermediate Foundations, and it consists of the lower certificate
plus three additional courses
(seven additional credit
hours):
Pathophysiology
Pharmacology
Basic Healthcare Skills II
2. Has a core curriculum
been instituted in the nine
H2P consortium colleges we
spoke of in our recent conversation?
All nine college members of
the H2P Consortium are preparing to implement or enhance existing healthcare
core curriculum delivery. Although not identical
versions are identical, allowing for local employer needs
to be reflected, all have commonalities.
3. What is the cost of the
core curriculum? (a) For the
student? (b) For the college?
This will vary from one college
to another, due to varying
tuition rates and curricular
differences among the colleges. Jefferson charges $140/
credit hour, so since both
levels total eighteen hours,
the tuition would be about
$2520. The cost for the college will likewise vary, depending on such factors as
whether courses are taught
by full-time or part-time faculty, team taught or individually
taught, salaries or stipends,
supplies and equipment
needed, etc. At Jefferson, we
are taking an interdisciplinary
teaching approach, which we
believe will produce more
positive results for our students.
4. My focus for this article is
on coders; reimbursement
specialists and HIT professionals. In what ways will an
H2P core curriculum benefit
these students?
Students who begin their
healthcare education in a
common core can be expected to learn more about
other allied health and nursing fields, develop a greater
appreciation for the common
skills and knowledge among
health careers, and establish
the foundation for interdisciplinary teamwork before entering their specialty areas. They will also have a
stronger general foundation
to begin their specialty studies as better prepared students.
5. Another component of
H2P is stackable credentials. Can you explain what
that means?
By grouping skill sets into
meaningful clusters, and recognizing attainment of those
skills through credentials, we
can accomplish greater flexibility for students and more
meaningful credentials for
employers.
(Continued next page)
Page 6
6. How does stacking credentials benefit (a) the student? (b) a future employer?
(c) and the community college offering stackable credentials?
By creating stackable credentials, and career pathways
with multiple entry and exit
points, all with recognized
value in the workplace, we
can provide more flexible and
attainable opportunities for
more diverse populations. Stackable credentials
enable employers to support
and promote lifelong learning
and career growth for employees, yielding greater employee satisfaction and retention.
7. Do you expect H2P will
eventually expand to other
community colleges
throughout the nation offering healthcare classes?
“To catch the reader's
attention, place an
interesting sentence or
quote from the story
here.”
It is absolutely a goal of the
H2P Consortium to create a
national movement for improving the preparation of
health care workers, and an
integrated core curriculum is
an important component of
that goal.
To be a little more specific,
The H2P Consortium Strategies are:
1. Online Assessment
and Career Guidance
2. Contextualized Developmental Education
3. Competency-based
Core Curriculum
4. Industry-Recognized
Stackable Credentials
5. Career Guidance and
Retention Support
6. Training Programs for
Incumbent Healthcare
Workers
7. Enhanced Data and Accountability Systems
Galvanize a National Movement – Achieving a National Consensus Credentials
in the Health Professions
So what does all of this
mean to us? Well, it could
mean quite a bit. So far, at
Jefferson we are piloting
some of these course.
One course we are offering
in the summer is pharmacology. This is apt to have
a big impact on a pharmacology technician obviously. How we will integrate it
into our program remains
to be seen. We do offer a
second semester course
entitled “Drug Classifications” that goes deeper
than our entry level course.
Initially, our faculty was
unsure how all of this
would come together, but
we realized two things
quickly. First, this allows
for more opportunities for
faculty. In some cases, it
could give more contact
hours to faculty who, may
not otherwise justify their
teaching load. Secondly,
the interdisciplinary approach to this has actually
worked. Not only having
students in the same class
with different end goals,
but faculty are learning
more about each other’s
programs and disciplines.
So that’s what we’re doing
at JCTC. If anyone else has
experience with core curriculum or ideas or questions on what we have
done at JCTC, please jump
on the Google group and
sound off!
For more information, please
visit:
http://www.prweb.com/
releases/H2PConsortium/
NationalAdvisoryCouncil/
prweb10009818.htm
Page 7
PTEC At Work For You
Strategic planning falls under the purview of my responsibilities as Executive Director. I would hope that each of you have
a strategic plan for your program. Through the input with your advisory committee, employers and students, the plan
helps chart the course of your program and shapes the actions needed to arrive at your destination. The same is true for
PTEC. Your input and feedback acts as our advisory committee and is important in helping the board identify areas that
are important to you. Since the inception of the member survey, the PTEC Board of Directors has indeed listened and
responded to member wishes by choosing member favored locations for the annual conferences, offering specialized programming during those conferences and making the investment in an excellent website that meets the needs of members. Additionally, the PTEC list serve has had over 200% increased activity since 2010. Thank you to members for sharing their resources, knowledge and time to help each other.
In PTEC's strategic plan, which is located under the "about" tab on the PTEC website, one of our goals is having at least
one PTEC member from each ASHP accredited technician program. While the organization is on course to achieving this
goal, we must realize there is no final target. I mean, as an organization, we hope the growth in accredited programs is
infinite. Our organization is not limited to ASHP accredited program directors; we welcome all technician educators into
our membership. I also hope that you will share the benefits of PTEC membership with your colleagues so they will also
become members.
In working toward promoting awareness and strengthening relationships, PTEC has consistently represented pharmacy
technician educators nationally at CCP and JCPP meetings. Additionally, PTEC members have also been working to influence the shape of national standards and pharmacy technician education by continuing to build positive relationships
with stakeholders. I commend PTEC members for sharing your expertise through authorships, work on national and state
organization committees, presentations and the like. Please continue to engage in this work; it is important and will help
all of us.
The PTEC Board of Directors and I actively seek resources, in and out of the pharmacy technician educator community, to
share with our members. Nationally, we are working with pharmacy associations to identify trends and needs within pharmacy. For example, what impact would pharmacists gaining provider status have on pharmacy technician education?
Would it change the way you deliver your curriculum? Would it open new avenues for technicians in the workforce? How
does the introduction of an advanced credential from PTCB change what you currently provide to your students? How can
informatics be incorporated into the technician education curriculum? What professional development do you need from
PTEC to help implement these changes? Did you know that PTEC provides its members with access to the most current
version of the NABP Survey of Law document on our website? This organization actively seeks the answers to these questions and welcomes your comments regarding these important areas.
I commend the PTEC Board of Directors for continuing to act fiscally responsible and in a transparent manner. While our
organization's financial statements are generated by an independent accounting agency, board members and I realize the
monies generated in this organization are truly yours, not ours. I welcome any questions or concerns that you may have
related to the fiscal health of our organization.
As I conclude this address, my hope is that you are more open and responsive to the challenges of our profession and the
impact the education you provide to students has on both. We look forward to seeing you in San Diego, CA in July so we
may continue to share ideas, formulate plans and enjoy the company of our colleagues. Registration for the 2013 conference is open and ready!
My best,
Janet McGregor Liles
PTEC Executive Director
Page 8
Growing your resume and
your career
Brand new teachers...wow do
you guys have a lot of responsibility! And, you should keep
track of it! Even if it is overwhelming, while you are building classes, you are also
building your career. Sooner
or later, you will have an evaluation, promotion, or maybe a
change in career. It was always a good idea for a resume to be a “living document” and for you to take an
active role in your career development, but never more so
than now.
So what is a “living document”. It is one that grows
and changes as you do. You
do things each semester or
session that are noteworthy.
Maybe you taught your first
online class or were involved
in curriculum changes or the
accreditation process. Write
those things down as you go.
It is so hard to recall when it
counts—right when you need
the information, I mean really, how many CE’s did you do
last year or how many meetings did you go to? Do you
remember when and where
and what the topics were? Or
do you have one big file you
throw everything into and
hope to sort it later?
Update as you go. This also
helps you to see where you
might be a little thin on material. Think about it for a moment: what do you do in your
career. Teach? Well yes. But
what else? A solid resume
and a solid career should
have more than that. Here’s
a look at some of the more
crucial elements of career
development and some ideas
of how you can get there.
Leadership
If you teach, you already lead.
Yet we can always do a little
more. Did you chair a committee? Volunteer to assist a
colleague? Go above and
beyond in a significant way?
Take classes in management? Hire adjuncts? Mentor new faculty? Then you
have performed as a leader.
Take credit for it. The do it
again.
Communication
Buzzword, right? Don’t we tall
our students all the time how
important good communication skills are? Don’t employers insist on it? And you know
you communicate...all day
long. Yet does your resume
reflect various forms of communication? Can write as
well as speak? Communicate
online as well as in person?
Perhaps “well versed in social
media’?
Organizational Activity
One of the best ways to accomplish many forms of career advancement and resume building I to be involved
in an organization (such as
PTEC). And emphasis here is
on the “activity “ part. Do
something. Present at our
conference. Write something
for our newsletter. Run for a
position on the board. We
have a growing field with so
many opportunities.
Community Involvement
It’s not enough anymore to
just go to work, do a good job,
and hope to stand out. Not
even for our students. Luckily, we can fix this very easily.
Pick an activity. Make it
a student project. Everyone wins. Here are
some ideas:




Medication compliance and or teen
med abuse at a
shelter
Fundraiser (we
compound lip balm
and sell)
Drug take back
programs
Help with community flu shots
You happened to have
landed in a career that
can always grow, expand, and change.
Make sure you are
ready to roll with the
changes and make the
most out of your life!
Did You Know?
What is the skin that peels off after a bad sunburn?
A: Blype.
What system of healing did Canadian-born grocer Daniel David Palmer formally introduce in Davenport, Iowa, in September
1895?
A: Chiropractic medicine. Although new at the time, the principles upon which chiropractic medicine was based can be
traced back to the earliest physicians--including Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.). Palmer created the name "chiropractic" by
combining the Greek words for hand, cheir, and practical fo(or efficient). praktikos.
What does the acronym DSB mean to a hospital worker?
A: Drug-seeking behavior. The designation is used for a patient or wannabe patient who is complaining of a bogus ailment in
an attempt to get narcotics.
What is N2O--nitrous oxide--more commonly called?
A: Laughing gas.
For what operation was Antonio de Egas Moniz of Portugal awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1949?
A: The now-discredited prefrontal lobotomy.
What hereditary blood defect is known as "the royal disease"?
A: Hemophilia.
How many of every 10 victims infected by the Ebola virus will die in two days?
A: Nine.
What was Friedrich Serturner the first to extract from opium and use as a pain reliever?
A: Morphine.
What was the most widely prescribe anti-depressant in the U.S. in the 1990s?
A: Prozac.
What bacterium is named for German pediatrician Theodor Escherich?
A: E. coli. The E is for Escherichia, after its discoverer, who first identified the bacteria in 1885 and called it Bacterium coli
Laugh Already!
Q. When do monkeys fall from the sky?
A. During Ape-ril showers!
Q: Can February March?
A: No, but April May!
Q: Why is everyone so tired on April 1?
A: Because they've just finished a long, 31 day March!
Q: Why is the letter A like a flower?
A: A bee (B) comes after it!
Q: What does the Easter Bunny order at a Chinese Restaurant?
A: Hop Suey!
Q: What do you call a rabbit with fleas?
A: Bugs Bunny
Q: What does the Easter Rabbit get for making a basket?
A: Two points just like everybody!
Think you may have said some stupid things?
We all wonder, when we’re tried or not feeling well if we are being effective or even making sense during a lecture. If you have ever
felt that way, maybe these will cheer you up.
Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?
Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live
forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever." -- Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest
"Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that but
not with all those flies and death and stuff." -- Mariah Carey
"Researchers have discovered that chocolate produces some of the same reactions in the brain as marijuana. The researchers also
discovered other similarities between the two, but can't remember what they are." -- Matt Lauer on NBC's Today show, August 22
"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." -- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for a federal anti-smoking campaign
"They're multipurpose. Not only do they put the clips on, but they take them off." -- Pratt & Whitney spokesperson explaining why the
company charged the Air Force nearly $1000 for an ordinary pair of pliers.
"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix." -- Former U.S. Vice-President Dan Quayle
Page 11
I am just going to tell you I
hate being healthy. I am from
the south and gravy and bourbon cover everything. It’s not
that I have even tried and
failed to be healthy. I just
don’t care. But as we get
older, health issues and too
many glances in the mirror
sometimes make us take
stock and make changes. So
for all of you who either hate
the notion of being healthy or
just don’t have a clue, I am
going to give you the lazy version. Help yourself to whatever tips you think work!
Before we begin, if you
smoke, you know you should
quit. And if you do that, you
can do anything. Really. Not
that you don’t still want to
smoke, but you can control it.
That’s a whole other article—
give me a yell if you want help
with that!
Diet
There are so many, who
knows where to begin. Here’s
a few things that are working
for me:

Soups and small salads
with meals


Fruits


A “free food”
Lots of vegetables (I put
onions and red peppers
on everything).
Absolute abstinence
from your biggest cravings for awhile. Then
find better choices. Skinny Cow is great!

Take time—read labels,
look at options

Too expensive? Maybe
for your entire family, but
just you?
Exercise
As much as I love food, I had
exercise. I hate it because I
hate sweating—most fat people do.
Try yoga to limber you up and
just get you used to moving.
Then maybe walking with a
friend, a kid or a dog. Start
with ten minutes. No way are
you jumping straight from
lethargy to jazzercise. I do
recommend going full tilt without killing yourself. If you
hate doing it, just make yourself. Ten minutes, then fifteen. And every day. Don’t
try this twice a week stuff.
You’ll eventually stop.
Pitfalls
Now here’s the thing—don’t
reward yourself with food
when you do something good!
Not cool! Maybe a nice cup of
tea or coffee (without tons of
sugar and milk).
Eating out—not always bad.
Look online before you go.
The chains have nutrition
information. Make better
choices, not completely different ones. For example, I love
Qdoba. I can love the soup
and naked burrito just as
much as the 1,000 calorie
burrito and actually eat more.
We are all so busy and so
giving to others. When we’re
stressed, even the most reasonable complaint or issue we
have trouble with. Students
priorities sink, don’t they? I
mean seriously, I am cranky,
tired, in pain, and STARVING...your term paper is still
late! So really, taking time for
you is a public service!
How many times have you
heard the phrase “don’t keep
it all in?” I am generally a
proponent of that school of
thought, but I have caught
myself lately just “venting”
about everything. There
comes a point when I am not
sure it is even working—I’m
still stressed! Yet it’s a work
in progress. Learning how to
take better care of yourself is
a process.
Here are a few common
sense ideas, but some you
may have forgot. If you’re
taking time to read this, maybe you’ll take a few more
minutes. Not all may even be
possible, but again, pick what
works!



Mental health
Yeah, right…
No really. Make a mantra for
yourself. Stick it where you
can see it. Refer to it often.
Simply slow down. When I
stopped smoking and stopped
snacking I found myself more
stressed because I wasn’t
taking those few minutes
every day for myself.




Massages—or at least
attempting or having
someone attempt
Hot water and nice
scents
Funny movies (or fantasy—I like Lord of the
Rings myself—teleport
me to Middle Earth!)
Music
Connect with an old or
new friend (keeps you
frown wearing everyone
else out, especially when
you are at maximum
stress)
Take a day trip. Unplug
and go.
Google videos of babies
laughing
Page 12
Della Ata Khoury holds a
bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, a bachelor’s
degree in Political Science
and a master’s degree in Regional Economic and Social
Development. Della supplemented her education with
practical experience, working
as a hospital pharmacy technician for 12 years. In 2001,
she obtained her national
pharmacy certification
through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
(PTCB), becoming one of the
earliest certified technicians
in Massachusetts.
In 2010, Della moved on to
instructing pharmacy technician programs at American
Training Inc. DBA LARE Train-
Forty-two members and growing!
Please look up us on Facebook. Enter Pharmacy Technician Educator’s Council and
ask to join our group! We
hope this a might be a better
forum to exchange idea than
the current Google-group, in
time.
A special thanks to Rod Chris-
ing Center in Lawrence and
Lincoln Technical Education
in Somerville, Massachusetts.
The classes included: Introduction to Fundamentals of
Pharmacology, Pharmacy Law
and Ethics, Medical and Pharmaceutical Terminology with
Anatomy and Physiology,
Asepsis and Infection Control,
Pharmacology I, Drug Classifications, Pharmaceutical Compounding, Pharmacology II,
Medication Calculations,
Computers in Pharmacy, and
Certification Exam Review.
Della’s work experience as a
hospital pharmacy technician
for 12 years along with her
education and connections in
the pharmaceutical industry
have enabled her to proudly
topher who has offered to
help monitor the media.
Please, feel free to post pictures of your labs, students in
action, or regional or national
story links about pharmacy
practice!
achieve high success in student certification and job
placement.
Della is also a pharmacy technician book author (writer)
and continuing education
presenter, and looking forward for more writing opportunities.
Della is dedicated to furthering the education of pharmacy technicians and contributing more towards this goal.
She is a member of the Pharmacy Technician Educators
Council (PTEC), the National
Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA), and Massachusetts branch of ASHP (MSHP).
Guess Who?
Guess which ASHP Accredited Program this is? Answer on the bottom
of page 19!
PTCB Announces Certification Program Changes
by PTCB Staff | Feb 27, 2013
WASHINGTON, DC — The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) announces future changes to the PTCB Certification Program.
The new changes will advance pharmacy technician qualifications by elevating PTCB’s standards for national certification and recertification. During the next seven years, PTCB will phase in the changes, including mandatory background checks, accredited education requirements, and changes in acceptable continuing education (CE) programs for recertification.
“PTCB is elevating our certification requirements in order to meet the demands of the evolving healthcare system,” said PTCB Executive
Director and CEO Everett B. McAllister, MPA, RPh. “We have made bold decisions on what will be required for candidates to become certified pharmacy technicians (CPhTs). Our Board of Governors is sharply focused on ensuring that the PTCB Program prepares CPhTs for the
integral roles they play in supporting pharmacists in all practice settings.” PTCB’s requirements have remained largely unchanged since
the organization’s founding in 1995.
The PTCB Board of Governors decided that new candidates for PTCB certification will be required to complete criminal background checks,
beginning in, or around, 2014. Many employers already require background checks as a condition of employment, and PTCB plans to collaborate with stakeholders to synchronize with the existing systems.
As part of the 20 hours of CE required for recertification, individual CPhTs will need to complete one hour of medication safety CE, effective
in 2014, in addition to the one hour of law CE already required. By 2015, PTCB will require all 20 recertification CE hours to be pharmacy
technician-specific. Many existing CE offerings already fit this definition. The allowable CE hours from college courses will be reduced from
15 to 10 by 2016, and allowable in-service hours will be phased out by 2018.
By 2020, PTCB will require candidates for initial PTCB certification to successfully complete an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)-accredited education program. ASHP-accredited programs include didactic course work and practical experience, thereby
providing well-rounded training for technicians.
Beginning today, PTCB is conducting a 90-day open, online comment period at www.ptcb.org to allow members of the pharmacy community to share best practices for implementing the new requirements. PTCB intends to begin releasing the policies and procedures regarding
the implementation of these decisions later this year.
These program changes are the result of a PTCB initiative which began with a 2011 summit focused on five areas related to pharmacy
technicians: Consumer Awareness, Resources, Education, State Policy and Testing (C.R.E.S.T.). Summit attendees included pharmacists,
certified pharmacy technicians (CPhTs), educators, major employers, state boards of pharmacy, and others. Summit findings, combined
with results from two profession-wide surveys, called for PTCB and the pharmacy profession to make decisive changes in certification
standards.
Beginning in 2001, PTEC has recognized members who have distinguished themselves by providing significant contributions to the field
of pharmacy technician education. The two honors that PTEC may present are the Roy Kemp award, which honors the pharmacy technician educator of the year, and the Phil Naut award, which honors the associate member of the year.
Qualifications for each award are as follows:
The Technician Educator Award (The Roy Kemp Award)
Nominees must:

Be a current active member of PTEC
 Have demonstrated a valued contribution to the education of pharmacy technicians
 Have attended at least one annual meeting in the last three years
 Have demonstrated their commitment to Pharmacy Technician education through their participation in PTEC activities,
such as:
-contributing an article to the newsletter
-participating on a PTEC committee
-being a speaker at the PTEC annual meeting
The Associate Member Award (The Phil Naut Award)
Nominees must:



Be a current associate member of PTEC
Have demonstrated a valued contribution to the education of pharmacy technicians
Have attended at least one annual meeting in the last three years
Have demonstrated their commitment to Pharmacy Technician education through their participation in PTEC activities, such as: contributing an article to the newsletter -participating on a PTEC committee -being a speaker at the PTEC annual meeting
Members are encouraged to submit nominations for the 2013 awards to [email protected]. Each
nomination should include one or two paragraphs describing the specific contributions of the nominee, along with basic biographical
information (nominee’s name, work affiliation, geographic location, etc.).
The deadline for nominations for these awards is March 15, 2013. Winners will be announced at the Awards Luncheon at annual
meeting, which will be held in San Diego, CA on July 12, 2013.
2013 PTEC Annual Conference
San Diego, California
July 11 to 13, 2013
Registration Form
First Name_____________________________ Last Name _____________________________
Institution: ____________________________________________________________________
Name on Badge, if different from above: ____________________________________________
Mailing Address _________________________________________ City _________________
State ___________________ Zip ______________ Phone ____________________________
Email _______________________________________________________________________
CPE Monitor Number__________________________ Month of Birth________Date_________
Early Registration (until March 8, 2013)
□
$300 Member
□
Regular Registration (until June 8, 2012)
□
$375 Member
□
Late Registration (after June 8, 2012)
□
$400 Non-member
$475 Non-member
$400 Member
□
$500 Non-member
Note: Registration for Non-Members includes a One-year Individual Membership
Please indicate which of the following you will attend
□ ACPE-accredited Aseptic Technique Instructor Course** (Additional Fee Required)
(Thursday, Time TBD; NOTE: Separate Registration fee required; see attached)
□ Elsevier Breakfast, Friday (included with registration)
□ Vendor Luncheon, Friday (included with registration)
□ Annual Awards Banquet Luncheon, Saturday (included with registration)
□ Check here if you have special dietary needs: __________________
□ Please contact me so I may purchase extra luncheon tickets ($65 per ticket).
TOTAL AMOUNT DUE: ________________________________
METHOD OF PAYMENT
□ Check (Make payable to PTEC)
□ Credit Card: please visit www.pharmacytecheducators.com and register online or
contact us by phone at (202) 567-PTEC
Please remit this form and payment to:
Lisa McCartney, Treasurer
Pharmacy Technician Educators Council
7366 FM 672
HOTEL INFORMATION
Town & Country Resort, (619) 291-7131
Reservation by phone only
Group Code: PTEC
Thank you for your continued support of PTEC
We look forward to seeing you in San Diego!
Instructor’s Course – Teaching Sterile Compounding and Aseptic Technique to Pharmacy Technicians
Participant Questionnaire (PHRA 2071 @ PTEC) Note: email completed form to [email protected]
Call the ACC Continuing Education office at 512-223-7542 or 512-223-7694 to pay for the course. When registering, give them the course number: PHRA
2071, course synonym: 64330, and course section number: 302
Name
Email
phone
(as you would like it to appear on your certificate)
Address
City
NAPB ePID:
(required for statement of CE credit)
Date of Course
State
Social Security Number:
(required for certificate)
7/11/13 City where course will be taken
Zip Code
Date of Birth
(required for certificate & CE credit)
San Diego during the PTEC Conference
Do you have access to the training supplies, materials, and equipment which will be required for the video?
If not, which supplies/materials/equipment are you lacking?
I am a RPh and my License Number is:
State:
I am a registered pharmacy tech, my registration number is:
Exp. Date:
State:
I am a PTCB certified pharmacy technician and my certificate # is:
Exp.
Exp.
OJT or Other (please describe)
Are you ACPE certified in sterile compounding and aseptic technique?
Yes
No
If so, please provide the date, number of CE units (credits) earned, ACPE Provider Name, and UANDate
#of CEUs Earned
Provider
UAN
Please describe in detail the type and length of your training, education, experience, and employment specific to sterile compounding and aseptic technique. Be as
specific as possible -
I verify that all of the information that I have provided is accurate and true. I understand that additional costs (ie. textbook, conference registration, lodging, etc.
may apply). I understand that I must successfully complete a written exam, video demonstration of aseptic technique, and submit post-workshop paperwork within
two (2) months of the workshop unless other arrangements are made with the CPE administrator. I understand that I will receive my ACPE Statement of Credit for
0.8 CEUs (8 hours), and corresponding certificate approximately three (3) weeks after all of the course requirements (exam, PV, paperwork, payment, etc) have
been successfully completed. I understand that my SSN and DOB are required in order to receive the certificate &/or statement of CE credit. I understand that my
NABP ePID number is required in order to receive my statement of CE credit. I understand that all workshop costs are non-refundable – whether or not I earn
ACPE credit for the CPE activity.
Signed
Date
FOR CPE Administrator Use Only: PHRA 2071, 64330 section 302 (IC @ PTEC)
Prerequisites Met? YES NO
Date of Registration Payment:
Pre-Course email sent (date):
CPE Approval:
YES NO
CPE Admn:
Method of Payment:
Notes:
Date Received
Town and Country Resort Hotel
500 Hotel Circle North
San Diego, California 92108
Tel: (619) 291-7131
Fax: (619) 291-3584
Group Sales: 1-800-445-2324 or (619) 297-6006
Reservations: 1-800-77-ATLAS or 1-800-772-8527
Email Rates & Reservations
[email protected]
http://www.towncountry.com/
Let’s just go ahead and say it. Plan on spending
longer in our destination city this year. Even if you
have to fork out some extra money, budget accordingly. Here are the top 5 reasons why:
Guess who answer: The students are from
St. Catharine College in Springfield, KY.