Unitek College Blog

This past June, two leading organizations for pharmacy professionals, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), announced their support of the Medication Therapy Management Expanded Benefits Act of 2010.

Introduced in the U.S. Senate on June 29, the bill seeks to increase patient access to the medication therapy management (MTM) services provided by pharmacists. Medication therapy management is used to describe a number of medication-related education and counseling services provided by pharmacists and pharmacy professionals, such as a Sacramento pharmacy technician.

Since being codified into in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, MTM has been recognized as an effective way for pharmacy professionals to monitor the medication regimens of Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries, and to advise these patients on critical information like prescription side effects and drug interactions. In particular, MTM is seen as important for those with multiple prescriptions for chronic diseases like diabetes and asthma, and the chronic conditions associated with aging.

The Medication Therapy Management Expanded Benefits Act of 2010, authored by Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) and cosponsored by Senator Al Franken (D-MN), would increase the number of people eligible to receive potentially money and life-saving MTM services.

NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, expressed the organization’s support of the proposed legislation in June 29 statement:

“By encouraging MTM services in neighborhood pharmacies, the bill would improve public health and reduce healthcare costs by helping patients to take their medications in the right ways and avoid complications with their drug therapies. Patients suffering from chronic disease, be it diabetes, hypertension, asthma or other conditions, will benefit from these pharmacy services, which also strengthen the pharmacist-patient relationship.”

Recent evidence points to the growing need for more medication management therapy services provided by pharmacists and professionals like San Francisco pharmacy technicians. It is estimated that only 50 percent of Americans take their medications as prescribed. According to a July 2009 report by the New England Health Institute, as much as $290 billion a year is spent on hospitalizations, doctor visits and other healthcare related to patients taking their prescription medication incorrectly.

The passage of Medication Therapy Management Expanded Benefits Act of 2010 could potentially save valuable lives and significant dollars. In the meantime, the demand for qualified professionals who can assist patients and pharmacists will continue to increase. Now may be the best time for you to start your career as a pharmacy technician in San Jose or a PT in Santa Clara. See how Unitek College can get you started on the important and growing Pharmacy Technician field!

For additional information on the Medication Therapy Management Expanded Benefits Act of 2010, please visit:

http://www.nacds.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=6857

http://www.ncpanet.org/media/releases/nacds_ncparelease.php

The American Nursing Association (ANA) and other professional groups are joining the campaign to raise awareness among nursing professionals, like Sacramento LVNs, on the California whooping cough epidemic.

In June, the California Department of Health declared an epidemic of this highly contagious yet preventable respiratory disease. More than 900 cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, have been reported in California in less than three months. An additional 600 suspected cases are also under investigation. Sadly, five infants also died recently in the state as a result of pertussis infections.

In a special release issued on June 25, the ANA urged nurses, particularly those working closely with infants and newborn babies, to be vaccinated against whooping cough with the tetanus-diptheria-pertussis vaccine, or “Tdap,” vaccine.

“This is a tragic reminder that vaccine-preventable diseases still exist, and the need to maintain vaccine coverage is vital to protecting the public, especially those most vulnerable,” stated the ANA in its online statement on the outbreak of this bacteria-borne disease.

The ANA also encourages California’s nursing professionals, such as San Francisco LVNs, to educate pregnant women and parents on whooping cough. In particular, the organization recommends that health professionals promote the need for babies, children and adolescents to be vaccinated against the disease.

Pertussis is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. The name ‘whooping cough’ is based on the whooping sound generated by sufferers as they attempt to breathe in air during strenuous coughing fits. Babies are especially susceptible to this airborne disease, which can be spread through mucous discharge from the nose and mouth.

Following a 7-10 day incubation period, pertussis sufferers usually experience nasal discharge along with mild coughing and sneezing. Symptoms typically become worse during the next 1-2 weeks, and eventually lead to uncontrollable and aggressive coughing attacks. From this point, sufferers may experience unpleasant coughing fits for an additional 2-8 weeks. In serious cases, particularly those involving infected infants, whooping cough can contribute to severe complications like pneumonia.

Despite the existence of vaccines, contagious diseases like whooping cough remain on rise in California and other parts of the country. As serious illnesses continue to impact more people, the need for qualified licensed vocational nurses who can care for and educate patients will also grow.

If you’ve thought of training for LVN jobs in Santa Clara or other parts of the state, now may be the best time to act. Unitek’s quality LVN education program can help you develop skills you need to help California respond to outbreaks of whooping cough and other preventable diseases.

For additional information on preventing pertussis, please visit:
http://www.nursingworld.org/HomepageCategory/NursingInsider/California-Pertussis-Outbreak-Declared-Epidemic.aspx

If you’ve thought of pursuing a career with a Northern California pharmacy, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) has some news that may help jumpstart your job training.

A recent PTCB-sponsored survey found that Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs) play a critical role in ensuring medication safety, and have positive effects on overall patient care. According to the PTCB’s June announcement, the study found that 81 percent of pharmacists surveyed believed that pharmacy technician certification is associated with a reduction in the number of medication-related errors.

More than 3,200 pharmacists, representing a range of professional practices throughout the country, participated in the survey, which was administered by Drs. Shane Desselle and Michael Schmitt of the University of Oklahoma College Of Pharmacy.

In addition to recognizing the favorable role that Certified Pharmacy Technicians have on lowering the number of medication errors, the study also revealed that 83 percent of pharmacists surveyed found that working with CPhTs gave them additional time to focus directly on patient care.

“This survey provides the data to support something we have known for years but are now able to quantify; well-trained and PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technicians make a positive impact on patient care,” said Melissa MurerCorrigan, R.Ph., Executive Director and CEO of PTCB.

The survey results, revealed at the PTCB’s March 2010 annual American Pharmacists Association meeting, are encouraging for anyone considering a career as a Certified Pharmacy Technician. As an additional incentive, the PTCB predicts a sharp increase in the demand for Certified Pharmacy Technicians. From large San Francisco pharmacies, to neighborhood businesses in Pleasanton, the PTCB report states that positions for Certified Pharmacy Technicians are expected to increase by 25 percent by 2018.

As one of the leading organizations dedicated to promoting effective working practices between Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians, the PTCB also predicts a strong increase in the demand for patient-centered care. The organization points to the country’s aging population and increasingly complex medication requirements as leading factors in this anticipated healthcare trend. Now more than ever, the pharmaceutical industry needs qualified professionals, including Bay Area Pharmacy Technicians, who can assist licensed pharmacists with patients and dispensing medications.

One of the best ways to take advantage of the exciting growth in pharmacy technician field is to enroll in a quality training program from a recognized education institution. Unitek College features an accredited course to prepare you for the in-demand role of a Pharmacy Technician. See how you can get on the path to a pharmacy technician career, today!

*Additional details on the PTCB study can be found at:
https://www.ptcb.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=PTCB_News&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3816

A recent nursing graduate pointed out that being a nurse is not just about the medical management of disease but also about restoring dignity and normalizing the lives of patients who need nurses’ help.

Nancy Wilson delivered a speech to her fellow graduates of Unitek College in Fremont, Calif. The March 25 graduation celebrated its recent cohort of Associate Degree RNs. There were 30 students in the graduating class.

“This is an accelerated LVN-to-RN program, quite challenging. NCLEX passing rate is 90% at this time,” according to lead instructor of the nursing department, Christy Torkildson, RN, PHN, MSN.

The following is a transcript of Wilson’s speech:

Perhaps an appropriate primary diagnosis for us tonight is, “Enhanced Self-Concept R/T making a difference in the lives of others AEB becoming nurses.”

There is much objective data to support our pride in this accomplishment. We have shared 269 days since our first meeting in the transition class. In our primary role as students we somehow waded through 14 textbooks and survived 43 exams, including six ATIs. We did care plans and NCLEX questions, concept maps, group assignments, mass flu shot clinics, Sims and Skills Labs, Project Homeless, ElderCare, clinical rotations, preceptorships, and kept the flashcard industry solvent, as we juggled our Secondary and Tertiary Roles as family and community members, employees and friends.

As we learned from Sister Callista Roy, first-level assessment alone is insufficient in describing any situation. Our subjective data and second-level stimuli have been critical in getting us to this celebration tonight. Our class represents an array of cultures and spans several stages of Erikson’s development. We shared a common goal of becoming nurses, but our motives, sacrifices, support, strengths and challenges in getting here have been as unique as every patient we have encountered along the way.

More than learning the many important tasks of nursing, we have learned to look at people more holistically. We gained insight into the impact psychosocial concerns have on the physiology of disease processes. We learned how critical it is to develop a therapeutically trusting relationship with clients and their families to promote their optimal recovery. We have been charged with looking at ourselves, and our own value system, to identify the biases that impact our ability to respect the needs and wishes of our clients. And, we have been given the responsibility of contributing to the profession of nursing through a commitment to lifelong learning.

We will each remember the different events that built unity among classmates. I will never forget Valentin’s kindness in skills lab, when she rescued my failing sterile technique, while learning trach care. Walking around the building like expectant parents waiting for each other to finish tests; Mr. H throwing toys at us during lecture; trying to order coffee while listening to the voices on the schizophrenia tape at Mills; the heated competition during Ms. Aspin’s invaluable Jeopardy Review Sessions; and early morning pre-test study groups, where we somehow came up with the most random and complicated acronyms to remember the most simple concepts. Thank goodness Pauline and I have kids who play sports because without their jersey numbers for association, we may have never learned the cranial nerves. Your youthful energy has been contagious — I already miss the countless fun facts Jerome sent me about Chuck Norris — often during lecture of course — as well as late-night Facebook chatting, middle-of-the-night note sharing, and endless hours of camaraderie in and out of school. I sincerely cherish the friendships that have evolved in this intense year together.

Certainly, we have many to thank for bringing us to this day; our incredible families, amazing children, very special friends, employers, co-workers, teachers, preceptors — and an array of patients who graced us with the opportunity to care for them — sometimes by simply implementing tasks leading to their physical recovery, and often in addition, by being the sounding board upon which they worked through fears intrinsic to some of the most delicate moments of their lives.

We owe our eternal gratitude to our incredible group of teachers whose kindness and friendships have facilitated our evolution — as well as to the hundreds of nurses and healthcare professionals at our clinical sites who shared themselves and their expertise with unyielding patience. Their collective interventions have led to our positive expected outcomes.

As we graduate, let us remember that nursing is not just about the medical management of disease. It’s about restoring dignity and normalizing the lives of people whose everyday reality, and families, have been changed by their condition. Nursing gives us the honor of doing something significant — to get outside of ourselves and make a real impact. More than just creating new nurses, this experience has made us more insightful and engaged citizens. As we do our final evaluation, it is clear that in preparing to make a difference in the lives of others, we have indelibly transformed our own.

Source: Nurse.com, Posted April 15, 2010

According to the Contra Costa times, enrollment in vocational training programs such as Medical Assistant is soaring. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Sharae Gandy and Donna Gutierrez are victims of the depressed housing market who are turning their misfortunes into new opportunities. More than a year ago, both women enjoyed well-paying positions in financial institutions that specialized in home loans. When the economy soured, they were laid off. “My job was outsourced to Texas,” said Gandy, 39, who lives in El Sobrante and was let go from her job as a loan-closing specialist during downsizing at Wachovia in 2007. “I felt down because I had worked for the company for seven years. I loved the place. If that hadn’t happened, I’d probably still be there.” Gutierrez, a 61-year-old Danville resident, was an executive assistant at E-Loan in Pleasanton. “I was one of 500 people let go at E-Loan,” said Gutierrez, who earned $55,000. “I looked for a year and six months and couldn’t find anything comparable.”

After some soul-searching, both women — along with many other people laid off in the past two years — enrolled in a clinical medical assistant class in the Mt. Diablo school district’s adult education program. Now they are excited about starting careers in a field that is growing, while other businesses are shrinking. “I will start out making $18 an hour, so it will be a considerable cut,” Gutierrez said, after another student practiced checking her ears during the hands-on class. “But, toward the end of my career, I really am looking forward to personal satisfaction.”

Leslie Rodriguez, a 30-year-old Brentwood resident, completed the medical assistant program in 2007 after losing her job managing an auto repair shop in Antioch. She was hired as a medical assistant pediatric adviser in a Pleasant Hill doctor’s office, where she worked as an extern through the adult education program. “I’m so glad to have gotten into this field,” Rodriguez said. “I feel pretty comfortable and stable in it. I don’t feel like I’m going to come in tomorrow and lose my job. There’s something new every day.”

With the state cutting college and university funds, adult education offers a cheap and flexible alternative for people who want to take classes, but who also want to get into college immediately. Rodriguez and some medical assistant students said they ultimately intend to pursue nursing degrees, but they wanted to get their feet wet by starting off in jobs more entry level in nature.

Several students in the program’s medical and dental assistant classes said they saw their job losses as blessings in disguise, which have led them to new careers where they will thrive. “Not being able to work, this has kind have given me an opportunity,” Gutierrez said. “If I’m not going to be able to make big money, I might as well be doing something I’m loving.”

Please, please accept a high-paying job with us. In fact, just swing by for an interview and we’ll give you a chance to win cash and prizes.

Sounds too good to be true, especially in an economy riddled with job cuts in nearly every industry. But applicants for nursing jobs are still so scarce that recruiters have been forced to get increasingly inventive.

One Michigan company literally rolled out a red carpet at a recent hiring event. Residential Home Health, which provides in-home nursing for seniors on Medicare, lavished registered nurses and other health care workers with free champagne and a trivia contest hosted by game-show veteran Chuck Woolery. Prizes included a one-year lease for a 2009 SUV, hotel stays and dinners.

“We’re committed to finding ways to creatively engage with passive job seekers,” said David Curtis, president of the Madison Heights-based company.

Recruiters like Curtis may have little choice. The long-standing U.S. nurse shortage has led to chronic understaffing that can threaten patient care and nurses’ job satisfaction, and the problem is expected to worsen.

The shortage has been operating since World War II on an eight- to 10-year cycle, industry experts say. Each time the number of nurses reaches a critical low, the government adds funding and hospitals upgrade working conditions. But as the deficit eases, those retention efforts fade and eventually the old conditions return, often driving nurses into other professions.

“We recently had a hiring event where, for experienced nurses to interview — just to interview — we gave them $50 gas cards,” said Tom Zinda, the director of recruitment at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare in the Milwaukee-area city of Glendale. “We really try to get as creative as we can. It’s a tough position to fill.”

Recruiters across the country have tried similar techniques, offering chair massages, lavish catering and contests for flat-screen TVs, GPS devices and shopping sprees worth as much as $1,000.

Even strong salaries aren’t doing the trick. Registered nurses made an average of $62,480 in 2007, ranging from a mean of $78,550 in California to $49,140 in Iowa, according to government statistics. Including overtime, usually abundantly available, the most experienced nurses can earn more than $100,000.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts about 233,000 additional jobs will open for registered nurses each year through 2016, on top of about 2.5 million existing positions. But only about 200,000 candidates passed the Registered Nurse licensing exam last year, and thousands of nurses leave the profession each year.

Several factors are in play: a lack of qualified instructors to staff training programs, lack of funding for training programs, difficult working conditions and the need for expertise in many key nursing positions.

Cheryl Peterson, the director of nursing practice and policy for the American Nurses Association in Silver Spring, Md., said employers must raise salaries and improve working conditions.

“The wages haven’t kept up with the level of responsibility and accountability nurses have,” said Peterson, whose organization represents nurses’ interests. Chronic understaffing means nurses are overworked, she said, and as burned-out nurses leave the situation spirals for the colleagues they leave behind.

Some hospital departments where experience is vital, such as the emergency room or intensive-care unit, simply cannot hire newly minted nurses. So managers in those areas have even fewer staffing choices.

Nurses qualified to teach aspiring nurses are scarce chiefly because they can make at least 20 percent more working at a hospital, experts said.

“It can be hard to turn down that extra money,” said Robert Rosseter, the associate executive director of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in Washington, D.C.

Many recruiters have looked for employees overseas, and about one-fourth of the nurses who earned their licenses in 2007 were educated internationally, most in the Philippines and India.

Some health organizations go out of their way to recruit as many nurses as possible even when they’re overstaffed.

Residential Home Health, the home-nursing company in Michigan, is always looking to hire, Curtis said. Even with 375 clinical professionals on staff, his recruiters are eager to sign up as many as 50 more nurses and therapists, hence the Chuck Woolery event.

Zinda, the Milwaukee-area recruiter, said creative recruiting helps to introduce nurses to his hospital. Besides offering interviewees $50 gas cards, he has provided $100 gift cards to the local mall, and created a Facebook page to target younger nurses.

Attracting good candidates is about offering good working conditions, he said, but creative recruiting goes a long way in generating a buzz.

“Bottom line, you need to get people excited about what you’re offering,” he said. “If you don’t, they can easily go elsewhere.”

Article Written by: Dinesh Ramde
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