Class of 2009 Abstract / OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention, regarding prescription errors, amongst pharmacy technician students. METHODS: Pharmacy technician students over the age of 18 years attending Apollo College in Tucson, Arizona were eligible to participate. Pretests were given to students to assess baseline knowledge of medication errors. Posttests consisting of questions regarding medication errors were administered to students following a PowerpointTM presentation to assess the effectiveness of the presentation. RESULTS: Pretests and posttests were completed by 18 women and 14 men. Test scores improved significantly from 5.652 to 8.13 out of 10 in the morning class (P< 0.01), 5.8 to 8 in the evening class (P< 0.01), and 5.697 to 8.091 for both classes combined (p< 0.01). Differences in scores based on gender and general employment status did not reach statistical significance (p> 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: An educational intervention is effective in improving pharmacy technician student knowledge about prescription errors.

The number of opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States has quadrupled since 1999. For this reason, in October 2017 President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency. Massachusetts is particularly affected by the opioid epidemic as evident in an opioid-related death rate that is double the national rate. Naloxone is a prescription medication that works antagonistically to bind opioid receptors and rapidly reverses and blocks the effects of opioids. This drug is widely used to revive patients who are experiencing an opioid overdose. Prior research on the topic of attitudes toward naloxone prescriptions and dispensing has focused primarily on three groups of people: patients, prescribers, and pharmacists. However, in recent years there has been an expansion of the role of the pharmacy technician in healthcare administration, such as in the administration of vaccines. Thus, there is a lack of research centered on the role of pharmacy technicians in the dispensing of naloxone. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of pharmacy technicians in the dispensing of naloxone across Massachusetts. This goal was accomplished by purposively sampling CVS pharmacies in 13 municipalities across the state, with 7 municipalities having an opioid-related death rate per 100,000 people greater than the state average and 6 municipalities having an opioid-related death rate per 100,000 people less than the state average. These municipalities were termed High-Risk Municipalities and Low-Risk Municipalities, respectively. Three CVS pharmacies were sampled within each municipality, yielding a total sample size of 39 CVS pharmacies with 21 from High-Risk Municipalities and 18 from Low-Risk Municipalities. Pharmacy technicians working in each pharmacy were administered a survey pertaining to their attitudes and perceptions on naloxone dispensing. The results of this study demonstrated that there was a significant difference between technicians working in High-Risk Municipalities and Low-Risk Municipalities regarding the percentage of patients who they believed could benefit from naloxone. Specifically, 67% of participants in Low-Risk Municipalities indicated that less than 25% of patients could benefit from having a naloxone kit available whereas 67% of participants in High-Risk Municipalities indicated that greater than 50% of patients could benefit (Mann-Whitney U significance level = 0.001). This result is critical, especially considering the fact that there was no significant difference between both groups of technicians on their perceptions of patients who used illicit opioids or prescription opioids. In addition, unsolicited feedback from participants revealed several common themes among technicians working in both groups, including the belief that patients could benefit from a reduced cost of naloxone and that both technicians and patients may be unaware that naloxone can benefit individuals taking prescription opioids rather than just people who inject drugs. Future studies could investigate whether participant characteristics, such as years of experience working in the pharmacy may have influenced the results. Also, future research could be directed toward determining if there might be a relationship between syringe sales and naloxone sales in High-Risk Municipalities.

Class of 2011 Absrtact / OBJECTIVES: To describe a pharmacy technician and student intern-driven medication reconciliation process and to evaluate medical provider acceptance of recommendations to reorder critical medications. METHODS: Patients admitted to Northwest Medical Center had medication histories taken on admission. A specially trained pharmacy technician or student intern reviewed these histories, with emphasis placed on critical medications as defined by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Recommendations to re-order these critical medications were made to medical providers. All patients, excluding those under 18 years of age or current enrollment in the prison system, admitted during the months of May-June 2010 were reviewed for acceptance of critical medication recommendations through information recorded in the pharmacy electronic medical record system. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-eight (178) recommendations were made on 132 patients requiring recommendations. All medical providers accepted 102 (57%, p-value=0.008) of the recommendations made. Hospitalists were more likely than physician specialists or surgeons to accept recommendations made (62.5%, p-value<0.001). Recommendations made regarding thyroid products were accepted the greatest majority of the time (82.1%, p-value<0.001); antidepressants (54.8%, p-value=0.321), anticonvulsants (63.2%, p-value=0.194), and medications classified as other (55.6%, p-value=0.480) were also accepted a majority of the time. Vitamin K antagonists did not have recommendations accepted a majority of the time (31.8%, p-value=0.034). CONCLUSION: Medical providers accepted a majority of recommendations to reorder critical medications made by pharmacy technicians or student interns.

No description available.

A Study on Applying Analytic Hierarchy Process to Technician Performance Evaluation for the Paper Industry Abstract The papermaking business is one of the primary industries closely associated with people¡¦s livelihood. Its growth that shows a positive relationship with both Gross National Product and the education index serves as a major indicator of the economic progress and cultural level of a nation. For decades, with domestic economic growth and increment of national income, prosperity has been brought to the Taiwan Paper Industry. However, under the great impact from the society in recent years, enterprises with inappropriate business management and inferior performance may be struggling for survival, or even have been eliminated. In face of such challenges, to work out an approach to exert the maximum effect of human resources by employing an effective system for performance management to further enhance the competence of the organization has become an urgent issue for enterprise managers and human resource management professionals. Due to the skill-intensive feature of the paper industry, the performance evaluations of technicians who play a decisive role in the organizations are obviously significant. Analytic Hierarchy Process is adopted in this study in an attempt to discuss the critical elements of the technician performance evaluation for the paper industry and construct a hierarchical appraisal system, expecting to provide managers of the paper industry with an appropriate evaluation method to facilitate performance management. The achievements attained in this study are as follows: 1. Discussions on the present conditions of the performance evaluation for the paper industry. 2. Construction of the hierarchical appraisal system for technician performance evaluation. 3. The relative weights of the performance evaluation indicators with Analytic Hierarchy Process are applied. 4. The substance and significance of the performance evaluation indicators and relative weights. (1) Work achievement is a key factor to determine the quality of a technician. (2) Loyalty to the organization has received much attention, which facilitates innovation and improvement for the minorities. (3) Active professionals will be favored and valued. 5. Empirical applications. Three suggestions are proposed for the enterprises: (1) Constitute items and contents of the performance evaluation. (2) Integrate the performance evaluation into Human Resource Management. (3) Combine with the Human Resource Information System (HRIS).

Darbe lyginami Lietuvoje vykdomi farmacijos specialistų kvalifikacijos kėlimo kursai su pasirinktomis ES šalimis (Kroatija, Vokietija, Prancūzija ir Didžioji Britanija) ir analizuojami Kauno apskrities farmacijos specialistų kvalifikacijos kėlimo kursų ypatumai. / To compare the ongoing pharmacist‘s and pharmacy technician‘s continuing education in Lithuania with selected EU countries and to analyze the features of continuing education courses in Kaunas county.

Thesis (MSc (Health and Wellness Sciences))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018 / Biomedical Laboratory Technologists play a fundamental role in the diagnosis of disease in patients. Their role in South Africa is currently undergoing profound changes with an emphasis placed on a four-year professional degree that will replace the National Diploma in Biomedical Technology at most Universities of Technology and Comprehensive Universities (UJ and NMU) by 2020. Training and competency programs, along with the retention of experienced staff, remain key in providing accurate laboratory results. It is therefore imperative to investigate this field in factors related to training, work experience and job satisfaction. This study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of Medical Technologists and Medical Technicians with regards to salary, interpersonal relationship, continuing professional development (CPD), work ethic and scope of practice within the profession. A mixed methods study was conducted to evaluate salary, career choice happiness and CPD compliance of Medical Technologists and Medical Technicians, as well as their perceptions around interpersonal relationships, work ethic and scope of practice. In sampling, a convenience sample was identified, after which a snowballing method was used. A link to a web-based survey was distributed to a group of Medical Technologists and Medical Technicians who attended the Society of Medical Laboratory Technology of South Africa (SMLTSA) Medical Laboratory Professionals congress. This congress was held in 2015 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. A sample of 144 Medical Technicians and Medical Technologists was obtained, of which 98.6% were registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Only 54.2% were active members of the Society of Medical Laboratory Technologist of South Africa. Age (r = 0.674, p < 0.05) and years worked at current employer (r = 0.533, p < 0.05) proved to have stronger relationships with salary than education (r = 0.195, p < 0.05). Those employed in the public sector earned significantly lower salaries than those in any other sector (p < 0.05), with the exception of those working in independent practice. Both Medical Technologists (44.2%) and Medical Technicians (34.4%) perceived that they did not receive the respect they deserved from Pathologists in their working relationship. In addition, 31.3% of Medical Technicians perceived that their roles were regarded as of lesser value, and that their knowledge, training and attained qualifications were not recognised by the Pathologists. Despite this, this study concluded respondents were generally happy with their career choice, as 71.9% of respondents reported. Findings of this study serve as a strong foundation for additional research on the topic of career happiness versus job satisfaction and retention of staff in medical diagnostic laboratories.

Title: Technical maturity of a kickbox representative Objectives: The main goal of this thesis is to determine the level of technical maturity of each adult kickbox representative, whether it is dedicated to semi-contact or full-contact disciplines. Another objective is to compare three views on the technical maturity of each representative, according to the representative himself and two state coaches. Then to compare representatives of semi-contact disciplines with representatives of full-contact disciplines in selected techniques of strikes and kicks. In conclusion, it will be ascertained how men and women see their technical maturity. Methods: In my thesis I used a method of analysis and the comparison method. I applied the analysis method in analyzing and describing the individual technical preparation of each representative. Information about the technical maturity was obtained on the basis of a questionnaire. I used the comparison method in the comparison of the representative himself and the opinions of the two state coaches. Then I used it in comparison of representatives of semi-contact disciplines and representatives of full-contact disciplines in techniques of strikes and kicks. Finally, by the same method, it will be found how men and women see their technical maturity. Results: - In...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a simulation with workedexamples on the creation of episodic memories and the troubleshooting ability of maintenance technician students. Previous research shows that domain knowledge, conceptual knowledge, strategic knowledge, and episodic memories are all required to successfully troubleshoot. While domain, conceptual, and strategic knowledge can all be taught using traditional instruction, episodic memories require students to experience the actual troubleshooting of a fault. Simulations and worked examples are two instructional methods that have proven effective at teaching troubleshooting. This research specifically examined how a simulation combined with worked examples would affect 1) immediate troubleshooting abilities, 2) the creation of episodic memories, and 3) delayed troubleshooting abilities. This study was conducted in two stages and administered via a learning management system due to COVID-19 restrictions. The first stage included a pre-test, a training session using the simulation with worked examples, and an immediate post-test for near and far transfer of troubleshooting abilities. The second stage occurred one week later and included the final posttest for near and far transfer of troubleshooting abilities and creation of episodic memories. Answers to four troubleshooting questions on each of the pre-test and immediate and delayed post-tests were collected to determine any differences in the immediate and retained troubleshooting abilities. Answers to the solution mapping questions were collected to determine the creation of episodic memories. A repeated measure analysis of variance was conducted in SPSS to analyze the results of the troubleshooting pre- and post-tests. A correlational coefficient was used to determine any interaction between episodic memories and delayed troubleshooting abilities. Previous experience levels and participants’ major of study were also examined to determine their effect on the results. The findings show the simulation with worked examples had a statistically significant effect on delayed troubleshooting abilities and the created episodic memories had a positive correlation with the delayed troubleshooting, both with a medium effect size. However, the simulation with worked examples had no statistically significant effect on immediate troubleshooting abilities. Levels of previous experience and participants’ major of study had little effect on the results.

Applied Behavior Analysis has experienced an increase need for practitioners at all certification levels. Most recently, a demand for the paraprofessional-level certification, the Registered Behavior Technician™ (RBT®), is being driven by state licensure and health insurance reform. This has subsequently led to pressure to quickly train paraprofessionals to work with at-need clients. While this growth is favorable for the field it means that agencies are often at odds with balancing quality and breadth of knowledge, which can negatively impact clients’ lives. Furthermore, outside of basic minimum training standards, the behavior analytic governing bodies do not currently regulate RBT trainings the way they do for higher levels of certification, leaving it up to training supervisors to determine competency. In a series of experiments, some of the concerns with respect to RBT training will be addressed. The first will determine if an online curriculum is feasible for training RBT candidates to a level of proficiency for conceptual and practical knowledge. The second thread of research will examine if Acceptance and Commitment Training can lead to gains in RBT performance. Implications for the findings as well as future directions are discussed.