Re: Opinions on education

[Guest guest]

Wow! Just when i though your opinion was already out there!

Great Job!

I can't tellyou how much this sounds like an opinion I formed in 1999

and posted then and for the next 5 years straight on PTCB board about

requiring specialty certificafions EXACTLY as you have outlined!

Those that know me and have followed my work online and my outbursts

and revolutionary ideas will attest to this fact. I got nothing but

greif from the current and then top dog in PTCB who told me on the

message board that there is NO WAY that PTCB would ever condsider

this. However I found a news releaase on PTCB in 2006 or 2007 that

she (the same person) said they are " considering' it. Hm....

Times change, old ideas become new again! What can I say?

Any way I do know that hospitals do inhouse competency exams. They

are not state exams. They are in-house. And JACHO requires it.

But the foundation or basic testing is left to the state to handle:

1. PTCB or ExCPT or othe state approved exam

2. No exam

3. School final = graduation with acceptable grades

The above have been the options that some states have chosen.

I am putting a compilation document together. May I add your opinion

and data?

Thank you

Jeanetta

PS glad I could encourage you behind the scenes to write your

piece/peace! We need more like you!

>

> I am so glad you asked the question because I was sitting here

> thinking about just that, the level of training and testing

compared

> to my other jobs.

>

> first of all my background;;

>

> Are you a CPhT? Not yet but definitely working on it.

>

> Are you currently studying to be a CPhT? I am continuing my self

> study.

>

> HOW are/did you preparing/studying to take the exam I took a test

> preparation course for appoximately 7 weeks, definitely not enough

>

> What test will/did you take and why? I took the PCTB test because

it

> is required in Texas

>

> How old are you? 58

>

> What state are you in and what are the laws/requirements to become

a

> tech in that state? Texas and passing the PCTB test

>

> Are you currently working in a pharmacy? yes which type? retail how

> long? 8 months

>

> What is your OPINION? To further explain my background, I was

> working on becoming a biologist in the far past but life turned my

> situation around. I worked for years at hospitals doing billing and

> working on the floors as a ward clerk. Then again my life changed

and

> I worked for over 20 years as a 911 dispatcher/trained in medical

> dispatching. I retired and found that I had to find more work, too

> young for social security, but one requirement I had was not to

have

> to work shift work or midnights. I live in a small town and

> opportunities were scare so I took the course and got hired because

> it was the height of the flu season and they needed all the help

they

> could get (January seems to be a good time at least in this area to

> look for a tech job).

>

> My medical and science background that I still kept up through

> reading helped me quite a bit.

>

> Now for my further opinion....

> 911 dispatchers have to take a compentency test every two years in

> order to work in the Texas system. Texas also has continuing

> education related to their particular jobs, whether it be

dispatching

> or records or officers. I do not understand why Texas government

> doesnt get more involved in the training and educating of Pharmacy

> Techs.

>

> To pass a general test once is not enough.

>

> In law enforcement, if you are going to be a dispatcher you take a

> dispatching test every two years but the tests dont include

speeding

> laws, or probable cause because you dont deal with that part of the

> job.

>

> I really believe that there should be more directed CE's that are

> REQUIRED pertaining to the pharmacy field you are working in. If 20

> hours are required every two years, as in Texas, then there should

be

> certain classes that you must take other than the 2 hrs of law. AND

> every two years you should be required to take a competency test in

> your field. Passing a test one time does not keep you competant. It

> makes many people lazy about keeping up their skills and knowledge.

> (I heard a veteran tech ask the pharmacist how many mls in a

> teaspoon) In the past 8 months, I have worked with about 20

different

> techs and only two of them showed any interest in actually learning

> from the CE's rather than just getting credit for them to keep

their

> license. (If I am not mistaken, I think Joe said the same thing).

>

> The drawback is that Texas had to offer the required classes free

and

> instruct them for dispatching.

>

> I don't want my 911 call to be mishandled or my personal

information

> given out or used illegally, but I also want to be sure that the IV

> placed in my arm is correct and I am getting the right pills from

the

> pharmacy.

>

> My personal opinion of the Bottom line...there should be levels of

> techs...

> 1. General techs with specializations in retail, mail-order, etc.

> 2. Hospital and nursing home techs

> 3. Chemo techs

> and so on

>

> Once they pass a general entrance test, to see if they have the

basic

> skills to do the job, they should then be required directed CE's

and

> pass compency tests every two years to continue or to move to

another

> field of pharmacy.

>

> And this should not bother techs already working because they

should

> have the skills to pass the test already.

>

> (by the way I am female, when I joined the group I had never joined

a

> chat group and having worked in law enforcement I was leary of

giving

> out too much information, too soon, wanted to say anonymous)

>

> I appreciate your encouragement, Jeanetta.

>

> I have learned from your site and from others your site directed me

> to.

>

> My career in this field won't span too many years because of my age

> but I still want to become a skilled and caring pharmacist tech.

>