January Blog:

Starting next month of February, I will be meeting my new mentor at Del's Pharmacy 1. His name is Sam (unknown last name), the reason why I couldn't meet with him during January because he is new in the facility and needs to get use to his work area. On the other hand I been working on my Independent Component (IC) during this month and earning 25 hours so far, very close to 30 hours.

What do I do for my IC?

Well I volunteer at a Nursing Home part of the Activity Program. An what does this volunteer work has to do with Patient Compliance and Pharmacy? If you notice, a lot of retail pharmacy do not hire high school students to volunteer because some feel uncomfortable for minor to be close to these drug products and would only have professions of this field to work (pharmacist tech., consultant). So that has became a problem, until realized what is Patient Compliance without patients? Then that is when I join in the Activity Program in the Nursing home, to help me experience patient interaction. I found out that the issue patient compliance does run around this program.

Patient Compliance is an issue that patients aren't follow through their medical advices to gain a healthy life style. To prevent patient compliance issue from happening is to assist the patients with the necessary services to reach their satisfaction.

The Activity Program does support their patients to be compliance. What this program does is to provide patients with the goods they request: beverages, snack, games, crafting, movie. Ideas to keep the patients happy and enjoying themselves in this Nursing home. Where patient compliance falls into is not enjoying themselves in this facility. Consider all the activities as the medication, without them patients will not be receiving the satisfaction they need to gain a healthy living and it will cause some of them to fall into depression due to there is no "FUN" in this so-called home. Noncompliance will rise, soon some be willing to get out by running away or complaining their problems. To be able to bring compliance to these residents, the Activity program must follow through their request of what they need to bring an enjoyment during their stay in this home. This IC taught me to assist patients with any necessary needs and to serve them with a friendly service, even if they give you a sour look.

Blog 13: Lesson 2 Reflection

Title: Lesson 2 Reflection

Label: Presentation
Due Date: The day after your lesson presentation by 8:00 A.M.

Content:

1.What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?

In this presentation, I felt very proud that explained everything I wanted to say in my presentation. I talked about all the necessary information that I found important to share with the audience and was able to gain the audience's interest of my topic. Since this presentation had a longer time limit, I did not get nervous as much and was able to take my time in a steady pace when I was speaking.

In the last Lesson Plan for 10 minutes, I did made a lot of mistakes when I was speaking. I didn't grab the audience's attention/interest in my presentation. Within my speech, many of the ideas I planned to say had been mixed around, forgotten (such as MLA sources), and some I didn't have time to say them. This Lesson 2 Plan was a second chance to improve myself and to correct my mistakes from Lesson 1.

2. 
A.)     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P-          AP       CR       NC

B.)     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.

I would give myself a P- in this presentation. In the Lesson 2 presentation, I showed how my topic is relatable to everyone and how it effects the society. I explained what is my topic, how is my EQ a issue in society, and what answer I thought best to solve this problem. Through my own words, I presented everything by the basic knowledge of what I have learned in my research. But I did spoke fast on some certain parts of my presentation which some audience members weren't able to keep track of what I was talking about. Then in my activity, I did not gain a full success of what I wanted my audience to learn from my answer because I didn't clarify it properly which had made this activity a bit confusing for some of them.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?

What actually helped me a lot in the Lesson 2 is the Power Point. The use of electronic devices actually helps with memorizing on what to say during my presentation. I consider this as a distracting view for the audience to stare at other than me upstage because I do get nervous when people stare at me for a long period of time and I find it helpful if patient have a visual presentation of what my project is a about. With the help of the Power Point, I had a moment to practice add a limited amount of text and small notes that would be an assistance in my presentation
(EX: MLA sources: to remind myself to include it in this certain slide)
 
4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?

I found a least success through my speaking skills. Even though it was a 25 minute long presentation, I end up speaking fast through certain parts of my Lesson 2. If I had the chance, I would improved my speaking skills by practicing my presentation in front of a couple people (friends, family, etc). By this I am able to indicate my errors through my small audience's views and do my best to improve my presentation. Another less success is my activity and that can be help in my practice presentation. By this I can test my activity if it makes logical sense to my test audience and what I can improve upon it.

5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?

I think my possible Answer #2 might be Patient Portal. This answer is a more moderate idea or solution to help slow down the rate of noncompliance in our generation. Patient Portal is a secure online website that gives patients convenient 24-hour access to personal health information from anywhere with an Internet connection. This helps patients get personal assistance from their medical official (doctor, pharmacist, etc) through their own phone.

Blog 12: Mentorship 10 Hours

Blog 12: Mentorship 10 Hours

Title:  Blog 12: Mentorship 10 hours check

Label:  Mentorship
Due Date:  Friday January 9, 2014 by 8AM.

Make sure that your mentor calls your house teacher by this Friday at 8AM to verify your 10 hours!

Content:

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?

For this semester, I have been working with two mentors, they are both pharmacists that work in the same company. But I did not work with them both at the same time, only separately. Both mentors didn't last long as I expected because they both moved onto a higher succeed My first mentor, Andrew Kest, I have worked with him since summer until November. Then my second mentor, Mina Wassef, I have worked with him for mid-November and first two weeks of December. I am grateful that I was able to learn a lot from both of them, even though our time was short.

I still work at the same mentor ship at Del's Pharmacy 1, Ontario. It is a close-pharmacy, which means these employees and my mentors doesn't work with any patients, only take calls from doctors, nurses, or any medical officials. 

2.   Who is your contact?

My mother would usually contact my mentors first to not indicate myself as a bother depending if their schedule was tight on certain days. I do have my mentors' the cellphone numbers, but I do not call or text them as much, only for emergency situation when their contact is needed for my project. At times I do give them calls or short texts about any questions I have about my topic and I would always call in to let him know that I am heading to the pharmacy on mentorship days. 

3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)?

For this entire semester, I have completed about 19 hours and 26 minutes, which doesn't include summer hours. For the first 8 hours and 10 minutes I have completed with my first mentor, Andrew Kest. Then the rest of the hours, 11 hours and16 minutes, I have done with my second mentor, Mina Wassef. 

4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.

For my hours I have done at the pharmacy, I was shadowing under the each of my mentors. I would ask questions about their line of work: simple curious questions of their daily routine, the difficulties, the advantages, and what to gain from their experience in this career field. Then I have taken my time to talk about my project to each of them. I found ideas and facts that can be in use for my research within my topic and I have been taught a lot about the life of a pharmacist.


5.   Email your house teacher the name of your contact and their phone number confirming who they should call to verify it.

Andrew Kest
Cellphone: (626)-502-2957

Mina Wassef:
Cellphone: 1 (717)-715-5363
*You need 50 hours plus the original 10 in the summer by May.   The original 10 from the summer do not count toward the 50.  By the end of the year, you will have 60 hours counting that original 10.

Breaking News:

I recently heard that my second mentor had quit his job at Del's Pharmacy 1. He went to a better place.... well a better pharmacy in the next city from Ontario :). I am happy he got hired at the other company (UNKNOWN), I bet he is getting paid more as well :D!

Then again, I am once mentor-less again. Of course Mina told me the news after he left, but I wasn't mad or upset. I felt happy for him for moving on in his line of work. I sure am in a rock in a hard place, but I know I can make it through. It is a new year and I am starting the year off in a positive attitude :) So far I have called in this one pharmacist that lives near West Covina in a Open-clinic. He told me he would call me as soon as the end of this month. And I heard there was another pharmacist coming in at Del's Pharmacy 1 soon. So all I have to do is be patient and keep working on what I have started :)

I just wanted to thanked Mina for being such as great help. Even though our time was short, I learned alot and had lots of fun as well :) I bless his line of work will succeed further in the future.

HAPPY 2015!!!!!!!
 

Blog 11: Holiday Project Update

Title:  Blog 11: Holiday Project Update
Label: Research
Due Date:   January 6, 2014 by 8AM

Content:

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project?

 
Of course it is important to continue on what I have started in my Senior Project. I have taken advantage of my winter vacation to start on my Independent Component hours by volunteering at Glendora Grand Nursing Home as part of the Activities Program. In this program, I help set up the games or activities that are offer to the elderly in the home. Usually some of these "games" is mostly craft time, movie time, yoga, and especially Bingo. I would describe my job to be helpful and make sure each patient's request is been fulfilled when it comes to asking for a snack to a beverage and to show them a joyful time in the Activity Hall. My work in this facility has given me a chance to have hands on experiences to communicate, interact with actually patients. I was able to ask them question about their experiences when it comes to medication.

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

In the Activity Program, there isn't much to do, fix, clean, or resupplies. Of course I work, but mostly I observe the patients. There are times I go through the entire facility with my Activity Director, to gather a few supplies, and my eyes get a glimpse on certain patients who live in this home. There are some who enjoys the place, but there are some who are certain they really want to leave this so-call "Prison". Maybe that's why the Activity Program do their best to bring in a little light onto these patients. I even heard that some patients don't even leave their room due their depressant stage and some of the activity employees would visit in their rooms to keep them company. In my project, I focus on Patient Compliance that occurs in the Pharmacy, but comparing the idea of "Not-taking-meds" I have been taught by a different story in the Nursing Home. For all patients, they have the right to reject their medications and suffer through the consequences even in the Nursing Home. The place where you pay the company to take care of your elder love ones, will still have the free will to not take the medication and the nurses cannot take in force. Which means, more money is "flushed down the toilet" due to more wasted medications. I asked a Licensed Vocational Nurse about her job when it comes to medication. The LVN told me that Nurses cannot bring force when it comes to a rejection of medication, they do follow the require task to convince the patient 3 times before confirming a final decision. She told me that most problem is not only faced towards the "Noncompliance patients", but occurs to "Compliance patients" as well. I learned from her that some patients who have taken their medication consistently will suddenly have a change of prescription due to early shipment of a brand new supplies, which means the only medication they have been taken and are not expired will be immediately thrown away and start on the new brand of medication. A memento to remember that all patients are different when it comes to taking medication, some want, don't want, think it doesn't work, or just find it useless to take everyday for their unknown illness, but it is the patient's choice on how he or she wants to live their medical life. When it comes to a noncompliant, hiring a medical professional for your elder relative will not help him or her to take their medication correctly, not even by force.

3.  If you were going to do a 10 question interview on questions related to answers for your EQ, who would you talk to and why?

If I was going to do a 10 question interview based on my answers of my EQ, I would want to talk to a Pharmacist who works in a Open-Pharmacy Clinic. As you see, I been working with two mentors who only worked in a Closed-Pharmacy which means that they do not interact with patients, "just only calls from angry nurses",  a joke that my mentor once told me. I admit, I haven't had any experiences from a Open-Pharmacy. " Is it stressful?, Time consuming?, Busy?, or Slow?" I would want to know on the idea thoughts that a Open-Pharmacy Pharmacist have about Patient Compliance especially he or she have been working face-to-face with patients everyday except Sundays.