Pharmacy Technicians Are Important
Chuck DiTrapano, RPh, recognizes the integral role pharmacy technicians have, and their contributions toward managing a successful practice. Joanne Adam, CPhT, offers insight about the potential advancements pharmacy technicians can make in the field. There is a common misconception that the pharmacy industry is purely product-driven. As a practicing pharmacist, I can attest that this […]
Making Medication Administration Safer
Eric Cropp, RPh, shares his personal story about a medication error that forever changed his life, how he became a patient safety advocate, and ways we can make medication administration safer for patients and caregivers. What Happened to Emily Jerry There were multiple red flags leading up to Emily Jerry’s last treatment. The first came […]
The Vital Role of Pharmacy Technicians
The following post was written by Chris Jerry of the Emily Jerry Foundation. Chris tragically lost his daughter as a result of a preventable medical error made by a pharmacy technician. We are grateful to Chris for his courage in sharing his story as well as for the work he is doing to bring light […]
Safety and Standardization in Labeling and Repackaging
Packaging and labeling are believed to be the cause of 33% of medication errors and poor label design is cited as a potential cause. In 2016, the FDA released guidelines for safe labeling and repackaging acknowledging that improper repackaging of drug products can cause serious adverse events stating, “Because labeling, packaging, and nomenclature have been […]
In Support of the Second Victim
Eight years after the tragic medication error that led to two-year-old Emily Jerry’s death, Eric Cropp, RPh is still distraught over the events of that day. He currently advocates for patients and caregivers involved in medication errors, and supports second-victim awareness. It has been 8 years since I made the biggest mistake of my life. […]
Insulin: One Patient – One Pen
“Health care has safety and quality problems because it relies on outmoded systems of work. Poor designs set the workforce up to fail, regardless of how hard they try. If we want safer, higher-quality care, we will need to have redesigned systems of care, including the use of information technology to support clinical and administrative […]
Pharmacy Technician Certification
Christina Martin, Section Chief – IVAU at the National Institutes of Health, discusses the lack of regulation of pharmacy technicians in most states. As a former PhT, she emphasizes the importance of certification and licensure for pharmacy technicians. I began my pharmacy career in 2003 as a pharmacy technician for Weis Markets in Lancaster County, […]
In My Own Words: A Fatal Medication Error
In 2006, Eric Cropp, RPh lost his license, career, reputation, and more due to a fatal medication error. In his own words, Eric walks us through the events leading up to the error, the consequences, and what he thinks should be done to prevent similar events. What happened before the error? In February 2006, I […]