Hello everyone!

January 20, 2010

Thank you very much!

So many prep classes springing up around the country.

Sad really.

Hoping Pharm Tech Initiative will help, but the truth is I think most states

will end up like Ohio or Florida without true formal education.

Thank you for being the excellent dedicated educator I know you to be!

Shout out to you Deb and while I am at it Jule, Janet, Joy and Trisha.

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Founder/Owner

From: debkell98@... <debkell98@...>

Subject: Re: Re: Hello Everyone!

Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 11:18 AM

There is a new program--San Francisco State University-a well respected

institution--they are running a 50 hr pharm tech program for $999.00 that

prepares you to pass the national exam--that's it--no other classroom work, no

internship--and it is competing with an AS degree program I teach in at City

College of SF and a private program at Evergreen College that is a 9 month

program. It is cheapening the certificate and license by saying all you need is

the PTCB and " poof " you are a pharmacy technician ready to work!

Re: Hello Everyone!

Volunteers at our hospital do the bare minimum. I have seen them check expiry

dates or filing in the pharmacy but nothing of substance and definitely aren't

taking work away from any of our employees as we typically run shorthanded

anyways. We are grateful when they do come but they are also not consistant. We

also have interns (yes, we make our pharmacist students make IV's and compound

so that when they become pharmacists they will know what they are checking) and

residents. We have had some pharm tech students tour the hospital but they came

from too far away to work here. I have heard UF may have a new tech program but

we have not seen any of their students so I don't know what they are doing for

practical training (if any).

Joy

January 20, 2010

Thanks for that input Florida Joy RPh !

The dean of pharm school at UF was at our school visiting last summer and told

us of plans to offer a tech program when the laws were definite. But I am not

aware of it yet either.

I tried to tell him that formal education would not be a requirement but

training would be. He said he believed education would be a requirement. Well

proof inthe pudding no requirement. I will NOT expect UF to have any classes for

pharm tech unless an ther becomes an educational requirement. Then again he was

wrong about the law to be, I may wrong about UF intentions.

In CA, at least in the surrounding hospitals here in LA/Long Beach area they do

NOT use the volunteers in the Pharmacy as there are laws that ONLY pharmacists,

intern pharmacists, technicians, and techs in training are allowed in the

pharmacy. There is an exception for janitors/house keeping/EVS and

Maintenance, drug reps, doctors/nurses accompanied by the pharmacist. No

girl/boyfriends ,kids, visiting spouses/relatives etc. JUST pharmacy personnel

and the exceptions noted above. Any hospital in CA doing otherwise is breaking

law as I understand the law. But it is done in practice by many pharmacies.

We shall see,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Founder/Owner

From: nerissafaye <nerissafaye@...>

Subject: Re: Hello Everyone!

Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 6:14 AM

Volunteers at our hospital do the bare minimum. I have seen them check expiry

dates or filing in the pharmacy but nothing of substance and definitely aren't

taking work away from any of our employees as we typically run shorthanded

anyways. We are grateful when they do come but they are also not consistant.

We also have interns (yes, we make our pharmacist students make IV's and

compound so that when they become pharmacists they will know what they are

checking) and residents. We have had some pharm tech students tour the hospital

but they came from too far away to work here. I have heard UF may have a new

tech program but we have not seen any of their students so I don't know what

they are doing for practical training (if any).

Joy

------------------------------------

January 22, 2010

Welcome len1213,

Try UOP Stockton,CA a great pharmacy school (www.pacific.edu or (209)

946-2011)

That is University of the Pacific, they often offer specific courses in

addition to complete Pharmacy School curriculum. Good luck! Write back with

the outcome. I would be happy to research further for you.

On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 7:43 AM, len1213 <len1213@...> wrote:

>

> Hello I am new here. Can you please tell me how I can get IV Certified!?

> Are there any classes in the Bay Area (CA) or even Sacramento,Ca. All the IV

> Therapy Course I see are for LVN's and RNs. Are they the same thing? Are

> there certification courses specifically for Pharmacy Techs!?

>

> Any info is greatly appreciated.

> " God gave us his potential to create our own world "

>

> Sent via Len's Blackberry Bold by ATT

>

> Re: Hello Everyone!

>

> Dear ,

>

> You are very, very lucky that you will be handling med carts at all! Due to

> liability issues every person who handles a medication or medical equipment

> must be a healthcare worker and employed. Volunteers run many errands,

> perform reception work or relief, greeting/directing guests, making sure

> patient has filled in correct responses to paperwork for entrance to the

> hospital, file paperwork etc. But with HIPAA laws the hospital may also have

> to have employees do these tasks. Some do tasks in the cafeteria: stack

> plates and stock silver and plastic ware, some work in the gift shop stock,

> run the register. Years ago volunteers used to be the ones who transported

> the patients out of the hospital at discharge in wheelchairs or took a

> patient back to a waiting room for an emergency room doctor. Some volunteers

> site wit neonates and peds patients to give them comfort and attention.

> Some help with geriatric patients for the same reasons. Some feed patients,

> again that depends upon liability issues and policy.

> There are few hospital pharmacies that use volunteers any more.

>

> So PLEASE keep us informed as to what you are doing and will be doing in

> the hospital volunteer department.

>

> My best advice is

> 1. LEARN the ins and outs of the hospital in order to deliver items the

> FASTEST

> 2. Learn all that you can that occurs between departments and how they

> depend upon each other as well as the independant things they do

> 3. LEARN the names of everyone from top to bottom of the hospital which is

> a community or family in and of itself.

> 4. LEARN the hospital extention numbers, how to answer the phone and what

> to do during a fire.

> 5. Above all keep confidentiality! Recall HIPAA at all times.

>

> Also recall all of the above is going to transfer in the pharmacy too. So

> if you ever land an interview for an open tech position at that hospital,

> you can speak of all that you know of the hospital and the less they will

> have to teach you. Sell your self by the fact that you already know the

> departments, the people/workers, the operations between the departments, the

> ext numbers, how to put out a fire etc.

>

> Attend any open conference at the hospital about any disease that they may

> have. Make sure it is open to the public.

>

> Get to know the pharmacy staff.

>

> Do not tell your life story. And do not try to " sell yourself' to the

> pharmacy unless it is a formal interview.

>

> If you actually are a volunteer for the pharmacy, please email that

> information. It is hard to know if you are volunteering for the hosp or for

> the pharmacy. But again in CA most volunteer work is not in the pharmacy.

>

> Looking forward to hearing more from others and from you.

>

> Respectfully,

>

> Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

> Pharm Tech Educator

> F/O

>

> >

> > I just got a volunteering position at Redlands Community Hospital. I

> start tomorrow. I guess, because I'm a volunteer, even though I am

> licensed/certified I won't be allowed to fill scripts , I'll just be

> delivering med. carts to the nurses stations and stuff like that. Any way, I

> really want to be hired here eventually. Does anyone have any advice?

> Besided the obvious be polite and professional and on time and all that good

> stuff? Thanks!

> > Christy

> >

>

January 24, 2010

Ronnie: I teach a hospital pharmacy course at Santa Junior College which

gives you the opportunity to intern in a hospital pharmacy as far away as

Sacramento--each hospital up here in Northern CA certified their own techs once

you are hired. My course provides a certificate of advanced study that you can

attach to your resume--and many of my students are hired in the hospitals where

they do their internships.

Debby