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Directly Speaking
Start planning the celebration now!

by Scott A. Meyers, Executive Director

While it seems a long time until October, this is probably the last KeePosted issue you will see until we’ve arrived in the very month of my birth. But I don’t intend on all of you celebrating my birthday, but I do expect you all to celebrate National Pharmacy Month (all of October), National Health-System and Hospital Pharmacy Week (October 15-21) and National Pharmacy Technician Day (October 17^th)!

While summer is only hopefully about half over, it is a great time to begin your planning for the fall festivities celebrating our profession! First and foremost, begin by talking to the powers that be (administration) to get on the hospital or health-system calendar and to encourage them to help you celebrate. There’s always something going on in health care like National Pancreas Week or Toe Nail Fungus Month, so getting out there early will hopefully provide some extra privilege when you want to place information cards on the tables in the cafeteria or put an exhibit up on a bulletin board or display case.

Next, start designing that exhibit that calls attention to the role your staff members and colleagues play on the health care team. It can be fun trivia about medications or how to prevent medications errors. It really doesn’t matter as long as it is informative, interesting, and it helps to be a little fun. And it should always be a positive message!

Then it’s time to think about activities in the department. A special lunch or a bagel break on National Tech Day are both winners. A visitor tour of the narcotic vault is probably not a good idea, but maybe a tour of your department with your local legislators along with a discussion of how you’re fighting the antibiotic resistance or opioid epidemic wars would be. As you can see, fun should always be incorporated but not at the expense of your professionalism.

Finally, if you’re really ambitious, and I actually dare someone to do it and send me proof, go to your local city council, village board or county board and get a proclamation recognizing pharmacy’s contributions to local health. If you do, I’ll make sure you and your picture make it in the next KeePosted!

Don’t let this important month slip away without some sort of celebration. You work hard for your patients and your health-system. You need to celebrate at least once a year and recognize the contributions you make! Make it professional and fun at the same time, and then when it’s over, send me your story. But most importantly, just do it! You deserve it!