Medication Adherence Challenge

The month of February is dedicated to informing and counseling the community on the importance of taking your medication on time and correctly every day. Wingate University School of Pharmacy has created a committee of dedicated students to go out into the community and talk to patients about compliance. Events range from an information booth at the YMCA, seminar to undergraduate students, information session at a local high school, and promoting P1 students to encourage their "e-patients"to take the pledge at http://www.scriptyourfuture.org/.

Today a few of my fellow students and I went to the local YMCA and talked to patient's about the importance of taking your medications on time. We passed out cards (like the one below) that have the pledge to take your meds, questions to ask your pharmacist, and a chart to write down a list of your medications. This card is easily stored in your wallet and serves as a reminder and tool to take your medicine!

Script Your Future is an amazing website that has tips and tools to help patients remember to take their medications. There also is information about common diseases states such as Diabetes, Hypertension, and Asthma. You can sign up for text reminders and join a community that will help encourage compliance.

Taking your medications on time is very important. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what to do if you miss a dose. Taking your medicine at the same time every day allows a steady quantity of the medication in your body - so that it can work effectively. When you miss a dose, take a dose at different  times every day, or just don't take your medications at all - you are putting yourself at risk of toxicity, adverse effects, or cause the medication not to work and further complicating your disease.

January 2013, I was diagnosed with Hoshimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune hypothyroid disease, that requires daily medication for the rest of my life. Without taking Levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone, my body would not produce any active thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones work on almost every part of the body. When I was told that I would be taking a medication every day for the rest of my life - I was in shock. I know that things come up, get busy, and schedules change - but it is extremely important you take your medicine correctly and on time every day. It was hard for me at first to remember to take my medicine every day, same time, before any meals. I set an alarm on my phone, out the medication on my night stand, and wrote reminders on the fridge. Soon, it became a habit and I don't even think about taking it every day. Make taking your medication a habit and keep yourself healthy.

Counseling at patient at YMCA about taking the Pledge

My friend Julie is a Nurse Practitioner in Orlando, FL and said, "You have no idea how many people who come to the hospital because they are not compliant! Especially with important medications like Coumadin! We need more people out there going out and making a difference so that people will take their medications!"

Don't be nervous to talk to your local Pharmacist about compliance and tips to remembering to take your medications on time and correctly! Your health depends on it! Take the pledge online at http://www.scriptyourfuture.org/pledge.

{knowledge} P1 Fall Course Overview

I have officially survived my first week of pharmacy school. Let me tell you something - there is so such thing as easing into grad school. You jump right into the deep end of the pool and they say swim 500 laps. GO!! But I have to say - I am really enjoying the classes. I don't think they will be necessarily difficult content but it is going to be a lot of information...all at once. I wanted to give you all a summary of each class this semester and what I am looking forward most about it. It will be interesting to look back at this post at the end of the semester and see if my opinion on the courses has changed.

General Advice to P1s

Source

Here is a breakdown of the courses I will be taking this semester:

Biological Science Integration Part 1: General overview of all the science courses you took in undergrad. This is going to be the most difficult class this semester because of the amount of information given each week. It is basically anatomy/physiology, chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and metabolism all in one class. 

Calculations: This course is designed to work hand and hand with the dispensing lab. Calculating amounts of ingredients needed to fill a prescription.

Dispensing Lab: This course is all about compounding and filling prescriptions. Its a hands on course designed to simulate compounding in a pharmacy. This semester we will be making children's flavored tylenol, medicated lolipops, and medicated chapstick. Just to name a few! 

Principals of Pharmaceutical Care: This is probably going to be one of my favorite classes. This course is focused on the new age of pharmacy - focused on patient care. 

Professional Responsibility and Leadership: This course is going to be another one of my favorites. It is designed based off a self assessment test taken at the beginning of the course. After the assessment you learn what your leadership style is and how to work with different leadership styles. It is going to be a great course to learn how to work in team settings in the health care world. 

Professional Communications: This course is your basic communications course but specific to pharmacy. How to communicate effectively in a pharmacy to both your patients and coworkers. 

Electronic Mentor Program: This is an interesting course that is based off electronic communications with pharmacists all over the country on ethical questions in pharmacy. We have a topic each week that we discuss in class and then leave our opinion on the topic in a comment on a blog. 

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: This course is designed for you to think critically in pharmacy situations. Teaching you techniques on how to approach a situation successfully in a pharmacy environment.

Overall my first semester in pharmacy school is designed to give us an overall pharmacy background and prepare us to be well-rounded student pharmacists when we enter a pharmacy to do interning/work. I am very excited to see how these classes will turn out and can't wait to share my experiences with you!