News to USE!

[Guest guest]

A recent NPTA news letter posted the following:

1-Apr-11 1:00 PM CST

" Tainted IV Bags in Alabama Linked to Pharmacy

Alabama health officials have identified a compounding pharmacy in Birmingham as

the source of the Serratia marcescens bacteria outbreak that affected 19

patients in six hospitals. " .........

Read Full article at:

http://www.pharmacytechnician.org/en/art/1128

OTHER ARTICLES on SAME topic and NEWS:

http://health.newsplurk.com/2011/03/investigators-in-alabama-outbreak-find.html

http://health.newsplurk.com/2011/03/suit-filed-over-death-linked-to-tainted.html

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/03/birmingham_alabama_pharmacy_li.html

http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Suit-filed-over-death-linked-to-tai\

nted-IV-bag/HNLkw6IInE24mya35FXLKA.cspx

HOW AM I USING THIS NEWS?

I teach a pharm tech class/program in California.

I am in the exact module where I teach TPN's and I ALWAYS teach my class (and

just taught them only a few days ago) that the # 1 thing that a tech can make

that can go wrong and become pathogenic is a TPN!!!

" I don't care how good your math is if you and the environment are not aseptic

or clean you will contaminate the IV/TPN and your patient is DEAD "

My students over 16 years can recite that word for word! It is a " Mastronizm " . I

am sure my voice is ingrained in their mind as they hear that mantra over and

over.

Well my current students are learning quickly, as dramatic as I am as a teacher

that I am not a drama queen or melodramatic! Most of my students have to WAIT

until they are practicing to believe me! This group gets to read it NOW! In

black and white. You can bet they will be doing a paper on this one!

Also what does this mean to pharmacy practice, compounding laws etc.

Well comp laws have changed greatly in last few years. TPN's do not have to be

sent out, but MANY hospitals do send them out rather then contend with the new

compounding laws.

New articles, no doubt, will be written about " WHO is watching and " policing "

the compounding labs? This is akin to many years ago when JCT (then JACHO)

decided to police the nursing homes so that elderly pts would get better

care,and to prevent the " chemical hand cuffing " to beds. While this may be only

one incident (that we know of and is reported) the news of this will spread to

mainstream like wild fire and soon it would not surprise me, NO matter the

cause, that it will be on 60 minutes! That means governmet or others must or

will react to make sure it does not happen again lest they get citizen backlash.

I agree the problem needs fixing. But the media will have a field day with this

one!

These are just a few of my thoughts. Only time wll tell how this will play out,

but media will blow it out of proportion in terms of how often this happens.

But I will say this, the state of Alabama does require that techs do 3 hours of

CE's. NO CPhT is required, must be 17yrs old.

CAN YOU SAY " EMILY LAW " ? It is written on the walls of JUSTICE that this is a

CAUSE to get pharm techs schooled and certified.

Here is what I found:

" Requirements:

• Work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist licensed in Alabama;

• Be of seventeen (17) years of age or older;

• Submit a written pharmacy technician application to the Alabama State Board of

Pharmacy requesting a registration as a pharmacy technician, pay appropriate

registration fee, and receive registration certification BEFORE working in a

pharmacy;

• Obtain three (3) hours of continuing education with one (1) of the hours being

a

" LIVE " credit hour. Technicians can attend and receive CE credit for any

pharmacist continuing education hour that is ACPE or Board approved.

• An Alabama technician's registration certificate MUST be displayed in the

pharmacy where the technician is working at all times.

• A technician MUST wear a name tag identifying them as such at all times.

• Perform only pharmacy functions NOT requiring professional judgment.

• Comply with ALL Federal Law, State Law, and Board of Pharmacy Rules.

• It is ruled that three (3) technicians, one (1) of which shall be certified

through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is sufficient in the

prescription area for each licensed pharmacist on duty.

• Notify the Board within 10 days of the change of employment. "

http://www.alshp.org/cmsAdmin/uploads/technicians.pdf

My heart goes out to the families of the deceased. AND to the technicians and

pharmacists involved in making these products. It is yet to be determined where

the contamination came from.

I do not believe at this time, they have ruled out the mfg of a particular

ingredient, the compounders environment or employees, or the transportation

process of the TPN's. Anything is possible at this time. This/thes law suit(s)

will make history since the hospitals subcontacted the work to the compounding

pharmacy. If the compounding pharmacy is found at fault, does this mean that the

family member or pt can also sue the hospital for subcontracting with them? At

what point does the hospital itself have to take responsibiliyt?

So ALL of you who are STUDYING to become technician's LEARN from NEWS and LEARN

to USE it !

Respectfully,

Jeanetta Mastron CPhT BS

Founder/Owner