Re: PTCB Audit Results

September 1, 2004

Hello,

You sound like me. I have about 50-60 or more CE credit hours altogether. I

enjoy doing them and learning as much as I can. I am wondering what the new

certificates look like. Mine is white or cream coloured with black and green

writing. I don't have to recertify until next year, but I am assuming the

certificates will be the same by next year, or similar.

Thanks,

CPhT

cphtgenius@... wrote:

Hi Jeanetta and All,

This is the follow up to my PTCB audit. Though the PTCB requires only 20

credits for re-certification, I do many more than that. During a regular

recertification, you just write down the name and number of the CE on your

application (paper or on-line). No one really " checks it " too closely so there

is little fear of a CE being unacceptable. Now with an audit, you have to send

in the actual CE certificate. I do CE year round just to learn a little more

than is expected of me and because I like it. But I was very anxious about

sending in my certificates for fear that some would be beyond the scope of

practice for a pharmacy technician. The PTCB gives little to no guidance other

than the general directions to fill out the form and send in your certificates.

After accumulating two years worth of CE I was hard-pressed to remember from the

title alone which ones were just for pharmacy techs so I sent in ALL of my CE.

I actually feel sorry for the poor auditor who opened my

envelope. I recieved my re-certification. My only complaint is that I don't

know if all the CE was acceptable, if just " enough " was acceptable or if someone

just got tired of checking and figured " at least enough " of it was acceptable.

None the less, the audit was virtually pain free.

Oh, and the new certificate is UGLY!! I liked my old green one better.

Have a good night everyone,

--

To love what you do and feel that

it matters - how could anything

be more fun? -- Graham

.. . . for my heart rejoiced in

all my labour . . . Ecclesiastes

2:10

September 1, 2004

Dearest ,

Have wondered where you have been! Long time no hear!

I did over 200 CE and sent all information in for a non-audited re-certification

for year 2002. I too wondered which ones they would accept or through out.

However I felt all except 4 would have been acceptable by them.

I take pharmacist and tech CE to grow professionally. Most CE for techs is too

basic for my background and knowldege I need more. I hope and pray that PTCB

never ever puts the brakes on techs using CE that is written more technical than

for the average tech. I do understand that they do not want the tech to use CE

that is about counseling, however there are so many other topics that have been

geared for the pharmacist that I have learned from and what sets me apart in my

knowledge from many other techs, just because I have learned and gained this

understanding. I believe that techs CAN and should be allowed to continue to

learn from such technical material. I also think that most techs that would read

some or attends some CE that is above what he/she understands that he/she would

probably just stop reading it or walk out of the CE. I know I have.

We are all at different levels of background, learning abilities, interests,

reading levels etc. We all learn differently. We need diversity in our CE's.

Instead we are given the same topics over and over again: Basic Fed Law,

Aseptic Technique, Antibiotics , Automation and Common Cold Treatments to name a

few. I for one am tired of the repetative titles and subject matter that is out

there.

I look forward to attending CSHP each year because they have a live CE on

updated and new drugs each year. I feel that I am staying current and not

rusting as I teach. The day I am tld I can not attend is the day because it will

not count for my certification is the day I throw in the towel as a technician

and educator. Although I am not aware of such a movement, I am very concerned

that there will be one as ACPE now has a specific logo and accreditation for

Tech CE. Yet PTCB has not made any announcement as such. Some states such as

Lousianna require ACPE approved CE only.

Obviously your topic of " are my CE's acceptable " has touched a nerve with me.

One that has been raw for about 4 years now.

I must tell you that I saw my students Certifications recently because they had

to bring them in for proof in order to graduate. I LOVED THEM! They are a cream

color and I thought looked very professional. I personally hated the green!

Looked like old money to me. As you and I differ on the opinion of the

asethetics of the certs, can you imagine what comments PTCB recieved and had to

deal with to change the look???? They got so MUCH flak about the green certs

that they HAD to do something about it. They even ASKED US on their message

board for our feedback. No matter what they did/do to the certs appearance would

certainly be liked by some and not by others.

Any way for what it is worth I expect to be audited this year because you, Karin

and a few other 'online' techs have been auditied this year. Dora what about

you?

I forgot now, when did you get notice that you would be audited?? When

should I expect anything in the mail?

Thanks,

Love ya

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BSChem

Founder/Owner of this site

cphtgenius@... wrote:

Hi Jeanetta and All,

This is the follow up to my PTCB audit.

message was trunkated by Jeanetta as a courtesy for those receiving it in their

email.

Oh, and the new certificate is UGLY!! I liked my old green one better.

Have a good night everyone,

September 5, 2004

Hi J,

I've been lurking a lot. Lazy summertime I guess. Actually, I shouldn't say

lazy. Summer is my busy busy season. I've been working like a mad woman. My

PIC was promoted to pharmacy manager for a district north of here. The staff

pharmacist was promoted to PIC and the new staff pharmacist is a newly licensed

2005 pharmacist. A really nice guy but I have had my hands full with UNTRAINED

NON-CERTIFIED techs trying to take advantage of the situation. I won't ramble

on here but let it suffice to say that if you had been in my store for the past

month you could have had a grea (no THE GREAT BREAKTHROUGH) underrcover story

for a news program about why education should be mandatory and just how much a

technician is responsible for in a pharmacy. Since this is officially in

Brigantine New Jersey " THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER " and Shoobie Tuesday is

only two days away, I think I should be running at full speed sometime this

week.

Anyway, I got my recertification application some time in May if I remember

correctly. I really didn't know which CE's would be acceptable and which

wouldn't just because the when I looked at the certificates when I had to send

them in there were a few problems. A lot of the CE I did was free from US

Pharmacist magazine. They send a postcard certificate back to you and most of

the time the title was too long to fit on the card. So I have lots of

certificates that said something like " Steroid nasal sprays and allergic

rhinitis: A . . . " so I wondered A what? ... (Pharmacist's View) . . .

(Growing Epidemic Among Farmers) Who knows what came next. I sent all in. I

honestly didn't remember what the content was. I have never " passed up " CE

because it was for a pharmacist. If I felt the content was too complicated (one

that I recall was about low-molecular weight heparin I think) I would read as

much as I could, highlight the parts I didn't understand so I could have the

pharmcist explain it to me and not send in the CE. I didn't think I really

deserved credit for something like that anyway. What I would have liked was for

the PTCB to discount the CE's that were not acceptable and send me a copy for

future use.

Another thing I forgot to mention was that my ID number changed. It used to be

my SS# and now it's a random drawing of numbers. The certificate is, well, to

be looked at in an " eye of the beholder " sort of way. Hate it or love I still

have it hanging on the wall.

Talks to all you soon,