Blue & Gold
TRIANGLE 16
Sisterhood and Education in the Age of COVID
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Implicit Racial Bias in Healthcare
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Winter/Spring 2021
Six Myths About COVID-19
These are the stories of how our members personally and professionally navigated a global pandemic and what they learned along the way.
T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F L A M B DA K A P PA S I G M A P H A R M AC Y F R AT E R N I T Y
Lamb for Life
“You can inspire others.” IF YOU FOLLOW ELICIA DEPAROLESA
on social media, you know her as a girl on the go. Successful pharmacist, dedicated wife and mother, passionate small business owner, and LKS Alpha Alumni Lamb for Life. Elicia was raised in Dracut, Massachusetts. In high school she loved science and chemistry and developed a passion for helping people. She was introduced to the idea of a career in pharmacy as she often accompanied her father to get his medications for his cardiac condition. It seemed like a perfect career with her love of science and chemistry, her desire to help people, and the absolute qualifier for her chosen career: “I want to help people, but I don’t want to touch people.” Elicia was accepted to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and immediately sought employment at her local CVS pharmacy. She then spent the first part of her career as an active community pharmacist, developing ties with customers, promoting whatever pharmacy she worked at as “their community pharmacy”, and advocating for her patients. While at MCP she attended a recruitment activity for LKS, and shortly thereafter her father sadly passed away. Many LKS sisters attended his
wake, which was a surprise for Elicia. “I hardly knew these women and had only met them once. Their presence elicited an immediate connection, She knew joining LKS would be one of the best decisions of her life, and it has been. Elicia began a journey to better health and has used Arbonne as a foundation for personal growth as well. She enjoys serving others on a daily basis and believes pharmacists are the perfect clinicians to educate the public about the partnership between healthy living and practical pharmaceutical support to enhance a healthy lifestyle. What advice does she have for her LKS sisters and other mentees? “Go to everything. Stop wondering what’s in it for you — you can inspire and influence others and set in motion the tools for a better future. "Be kind. Be the victor, not the victim. Pay your dues — the longer you are in LKS, the better you will be at everything. Live life, have fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously. But always be the boss you are. It allows you to empower others to embrace their best life." Know a Lamb for Life? We’d love to feature her in an upcoming issue. Please email lkshq@lks.org to tell us about this special person who deserves recognition.
“Don’t take yourself too seriously. But always be the boss you are. It allows you to empower others to embrace their best life.”
Contents
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. Stories of how our members personally and professionally navigated a global pandemic and what they learned along the way.
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DEPARTMENTS News & Notes 2020 LKS Convention page 4
Sisterhood Sisterhood and Education in the Age of COVID page 16
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Implicit Racial Bias in Healthcare page 18
Responding to COVID-19 Around the World
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Including: Six Myths About COVID-19 page 20
A Bit of Our History The member manuals that help educate
THE BLUE & GOLD TRIANGLE OF LAMBDA KAPPA SIGMA
Published by Lambda Kappa Sigma Fraternity P.O. Box 570 Muskego WI 53150-0570 262-682-4362 lkshq@lks.org | lks.org EDITOR
Sharon C. Brown
MISSION STATEMENT
Lambda Kappa Sigma provides lifelong opportunities for women in pharmacy through professional excellence and personal growth. CORE VALUES
In addition to the Code of Ethics, Lambda Kappa Sigma is guided by professionalism and the Core Values of Integrity, Leadership, Scholarship, Service and Sisterhood.
CREATIVE DESIGN & LAYOUT
PUBLICATION
Tria Designs, Inc.
The Blue & Gold Triangle is the official publication of Lambda Kappa Sigma Pharmacy Fraternity and is published semi annually.
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
Sharon C. Brown, Chair Debbie Bourquin Justine Dickson Kim Hancock Nancy Horst MEMBER
Professional Fraternity Association Fraternity Communications Association
SUBMISSION DEADLINES
February 15; October 15 POSTMASTER
please send address changes to: Lambda Kappa Sigma P.O. Box 570 Muskego WI 53150-0570 PRINTED IN THE USA
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Grant President Greetings
You are the Heart of LKS GREETINGS SISTERS!
I was astounded by the number of you that registered (over 400), as well as by the number of participants that we had for each and every session. I saw that we had sisters “tuning in” from home, work, backyards, porches, restaurants and more!
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First of all, I would like to say that I was absolutely blown away by the success of our first ever virtual convention! I was astounded by the number of you that registered (over 400), as well as by the number of participants that we had for each and every session. I saw that we had sisters “tuning in” from home, work, backyards, porches, restaurants and more! Many sisters watched by themselves, but a few watched in groups (appropriately socially distanced, I might add). The alumni and collegiate mixers were lots of fun too! It was apparent that many of you enjoyed the fun too. On a serious note, the business, continuing education and discussion sessions were very important to you as well. The session on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was one of our best attended sessions. I know that this is a very important issue for many of you, especially as you move through life on campus and in your places of work. As I made my committee assignments this fall, I also included an ad hoc committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I am tasking this committee to draft charges for further direction that this group should take. I’m also pleased that Jacquitta Pool has volunteered to serve on this committee. You may remember her as the moderator of our convention session. It’s great to have an outside perspective, especially someone with experience in this area. Getting back to campus has certainly been a new experience this fall. Some colleges are back to in-person classes, while others are meeting virtually. This has most certainly been stressful for many of
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you. I encourage all of you to reach out to your sisters, to your Region Supervisors, your alumni and also Grand Council if there’s something we can do to assist you.
For our loyal alumni ... You truly are frontline healthcare heroes, and I applaud the work that each of you are doing. Pharmacist roles are expanding, and I see only more and more responsibilities for all of us as we navigate this pandemic.
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For our loyal alumni, your workplaces are no doubt filled with anxiety, stress and new situations. You truly are frontline healthcare heroes, and I applaud the work that each of you are doing. Pharmacist roles are expanding, and I see only more and more responsibilities for all of us as we navigate this pandemic. LKS is using social media platforms more than ever. We have heard time and time again that you appreciate keeping involved with LKS in this way. I love seeing what our chapters are doing… on campuses, in their workplaces and in pharmacy organizations. I especially enjoy pictures… I feel like I know all of you better that way! In the coming biennium, I am looking forward to continuing to work on standardizing and streamlining operations so that we can spend more time on member development. Already we are seeing the benefits of the new Member Orientation Experience handbook. Many of our sisters, along with HQ, have developed this fabulous guide. I hope that your chapter is benefitting from it! At my hospital (and I’m sure at your workplaces as well), we focus on hand-offs of patient care. Continuity is extremely important to assure that important facets of care don’t slip through the cracks. I have found it increasingly important to assure hand-offs between officers as well. Along with Erin at HQ, we are developing timelines, calendars and duty lists to assure that we have seamless
transitions. All of this takes time, but I believe that we’re on the right path. Our social media platforms continue to be robust ways of keeping in regular contact. From Fraternity news, therapeutic updates, news about sisters and so much more… our hardworking Communications Committee and HQ endeavor to bring you the latest news of interest to our membership. I am always particularly heartened to see news of our sisters receiving honors… at university, workplace, state and national levels! We truly have sisters that we can be proud of. Meanwhile, I had hoped to be on the road and in the air more often. Upon my installation as Grand President, I vowed to be there for you, and to be as accessible as possible to the membership as I could be. I had hoped to be meeting and greeting you at APhA and ASHP meetings, to be attending LKS functions and hopefully to be assisting with visits to establish new chapters. The face of travel has certainly changed, but my devotion to LKS has not. If your chapter has a virtual event planned, and you feel that attendance by myself or any other Grand Council member would be beneficial, just let us know. Meanwhile, stay safe and stay healthy. I wish you all of the best! Fraternally,
Chris Grass Grand President grandpresident@lks.org
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Sisterhood
Convention 2020 A Virtual – and Literal – Success! by Stephanie Mrozek, Pharm.D., Grand Secretary, Tau Alumni LAMBDA KAPPA SIGMA ANNUAL
Convention experienced a “first” in 2020: an all-virtual format due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. Although the Convention Committee had a wonderful on-site meeting planned for us in Indianapolis, they did a tremendous job transitioning our Annual Convention to a virtual platform. On Friday, July 24, 2020, after a warm welcome to all attendees from Grand President Chris Grass, who was at Headquarters for Convention, Past Grand President Dixie Leikach gave a motivating and inspirational Keynote Address titled “You’ve Got the Power.” Whether you are a Collegiate member, a 50-Year Member, or somewhere in between, Dixie’s Keynote gave great
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information on how to be a successful leader in both your personal and professional life. Past Grand President, Christine Perry, was up next leading this year’s leadership program titled “Team Building Skills for Professional and Organizational Success.” Christine did not disappoint and provided an upbeat and informative presentation on embracing conflict and team building skills. She provided real-life examples and gave practical tips that can be used on a daily basis. After the Leadership program, Chapters took turns virtually presenting their Core Values and Research Posters. There were so many wonderful posters and the presenters did a fabulous job adjusting to the virtual
format and answering questions from the audience. The first day of Convention wrapped up with a Continuing Education presentation by Sara Brown titled “Menopause-It’s a ‘Hot’ Topic” and then the Virtual Collegiate Mixer which was full of fun, laughter and prizes! Day two of Convention began with Grand President, Chris Grass, calling to order Business Session #1. Chris presented the Fraternity Report, followed by Grand Treasurer Melissa O’Brien giving an update on the budget and finances. The chapters who donated to Project HOPE and The Educational Trust were also recognized. The Business session wrapped up with Past Grand President Sandy Mullen
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giving the Nominating Committee Report and announcing the 20202022 Grand Council and Region Supervisors. Next on the agenda was the Collegiate Conference where the students were given pointers on creating both personal and chapter goals. The collegiates were then broken up into groups and had time to use their newly learned skills to craft goals of their own. New to Convention this year was a Diversity and Inclusion Dialogue. Guest Jacquitta Pool moderated a panel session comprised of nine sisters of our Fraternity from various backgrounds. All in attendance were able to listen to different experiences and perceptions from these amazing women. Day two of Convention ended with the Alumni Conference followed by the Virtual Alumni Mixer. The trivia game got pretty intense and went into several “overtimes” before one group was eventually crowned champion! The final day of Convention 2020 began with back-to-back Continuing Education Programs given by two of our distinguished alumni members. First, Starlin Haydon-Greatting presented “Understanding Social Determinants of Health: A Pharmacist’s Role” giving us a preview to our 2020-2022 Women’s Health Initiative of Health Disparities.
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Veronika Vernon followed with “Honing in on Hormonal Contraception”, a great way to wrap up our 2018-2020 Women’s Health Issue of Pregnancy and Reproductive Health. Business Session #2 began with Grand President for Development Nicole Helsinger presenting the Strategic Plan. Nicole explained that the Strategic Plan was re-worked to make sure the objectives of the Fraternity are presented in order of importance. Before adjourning, nominations were solicited for the Nominating Committee and Project HOPE was again named the official philanthropy of our Fraternity. Another “first” came next as Justine Dickson and Sara Kheboian hosted a special Lamb TaLKS LIVE Podcast featuring guests Ruth Brown and Patti Kienle. There certainly was not a shortage of laughter during this novel event! Convention wrapped up with Grand Council Installation and the Awards Presentation. Congratulations to all of the award winners! While the virtual format is convenient, it does not replace the love and energy that come from an in-person Convention. The year 2020 is full of many examples of how we adapted our lives to live during a pandemic. Hopefully we will be able to meet again for Convention 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona!
2021 Award Recipients CORE VALUE POSTER WINNERS 1ST PLACE: Alpha Phi (Wilkes, Nesbitt School of Pharmacy) – Delivering in Goods
2ND PLACE: Tau (Duquesne, Mylen School of Pharmacy) – Galentine’s Day
3RD PLACE: Pi (Rutgers, College of Pharmacy) – Thinking in Pink
CHRYSANTHEMUM AWARDS: f RETENTION 1ST PLACE: Alpha Omicron (West Virginia, School of Pharmacy)
2ND PLACE: Beta Beta (Western New England, College of Pharmacy)
3RD PLACE: Alpha (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences)
3RD PLACE: Omicron (Wayne State, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences),
Alpha Chi (Northeast Ohio Medical, College of Medicine and Pharmacy)
f RECRUITMENT 1ST PLACE: Alpha Nu (Kentucky, College of Pharmacy) 2ND PLACE: Beta Beta (Western New England, College of Pharmacy)
f ALUMNI CHAPTER OF THE YEAR CHAPTER OF THE YEAR: Alpha Pi Alumni (Jamaica, NY)
1ST RUNNER UP: Alpha Iota Alumni Chapter (Big Rapids, MI)
2ND RUNNER UP: Alpha Alumni Chapter (Boston, MA)
f CHAPTERS OF THE REGION NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND: Alpha (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences)
NORTHEASTERN: Alpha Theta (SUNY Buffalo, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
EASTERN ATLANTIC: Alpha Pi (St. John's, College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences)
MID-ATLANTIC: Pi (Rutgers, College of Pharmacy) SOUTHERN: Alpha Kappa (Georgia, College of Pharmacy)
NORTHERN LAKES: Omicron (Wayne State, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences) MIDWESTERN: Alpha Zeta (Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis) WESTERN: Lambda (Southern California, School of Pharmacy)
f COLLEGIATE CHAPTER OF THE YEAR CHAPTER OF THE YEAR: Tau (Duquesne, Mylen School of Pharmacy)
1ST RUNNER UP: Alpha Beta (UConn, School of Pharmacy)
2ND RUNNER UP: Xi Chapter (Rhode Island, College of Pharmacy)
f FRATERNITY AWARDS: DISTINGUISHED YOUNG PHARMACIST: Melissa O’Brien
COLLEGIATE OF THE YEAR: Alexis Nieszczur (Moss) AWARD OF MERIT: Brittany Stewart
ADVISOR: Sara Richter DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CITATION: Mary Meredith
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U N S P L A S H / WA L D E M A R B R A N DT
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by Sharon C. Brown, MS, RPh, Past Grand President, Alpha Iota Alumni
T
he famous quote from the movie Heartbreak Ridge applies to so much of the events of 2020, and flows over into 2021. As I gathered stories regarding COVID and our members, I was encouraged to share my story. So here it is! A LITTLE HISTORY FOR PERSPECTIVE In 2003, I began a career as a pharmacy director at a 102-bed hospital with a variety of medical services. Within five years we morphed into a busy community hospital with an 18-bed emergency department, level two nursery, five general OR rooms, two room cath lab, one open heart surgery suite, and all services with the exception of oncology and pediatrics. I had a staff of 14 and provided 24-hour pharmacy services. IMPROVISE February 1, 2014, our buzzing 102 bed community hospital became a 6-bed LATC pretty much overnight. I went from a staff of 14 to a staff of two: myself and one technician. I also went from director to manager — same responsibilities, different title. The L&D, OR’s, Cath lab, and ED all closed. Our vertical carousel was dismantled and removed, and an entirely manual inventory system was implemented. Due to contracting, we were able to maintain our Pyxis dispensing products. Fast forward five years and we had expanded to 58 beds and a pharmacy staff of five. In January 2020, news of COVID prompted plans to open a new HIDU (Highly Infectious Disease Unit) in the prior L&D space. It was an area that was out of the mainstream public areas, all private rooms, and could be converted to negative pressure rooms with external filtering and exhaust systems in a short period of time. Pharmacy was charged with developing a drug distribution process that would provide for medication needs in a safe, efficient, and timely manner. Re-deploying the prior Pyxis machines to that area was a good start. As part of a 7-hospital system, a process for centralizing inventory for COVID treatment and controlling distribution to ensure availability was implemented. Among other things, procedures for returning medications from patient rooms, storage and handling of
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This was a period of immense personal challenge and extreme sensitivity to the pressure on my staff and the other members of the health care team.
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Overcome disbelief. Disbelief that you are expected to do more with less, over and over again. Disbelief that you are expected to go home, “take care of yourself,” and get up the next day and do it all over again. And disbelief — and relief — that you actually do it!
multidose containers, and how to respond to codes were all discussed, approved, and implemented. Mission accomplished and our 21 bed unit opened successfully at the end of February. In March, as the census in other hospitals plummeted due to cancelled surgeries, reduced outpatient services, and stay at home orders, the need for additional COVID beds became apparent, and yet another vacant patient care area was put back into service. The prior telemetry unit underwent a build out to create a closed unit, and pharmacy repeated the process used for HIDU. This added another 21 COVID beds to our facility. In addition, with the closure of several LTACs in the Houston area, our LTAC patient census remained at capacity, and we went from a daily census of about 52 to a daily census of about 90. In June, the prior 18-bed Emergency Department was activated to serve as an overflow unit for non-mobile LTAC patients, creating space to provide additional space to cohort COVID patients on other units in the facility. For pharmacy, the need to improvise was different: this area had never been an inpatient area so the medication room required major revision for storage of medications in a safe and appropriate manner. Modifications were made per pharmacy and nursing requests, Pyxis units re-deployed, and refrigerators placed into service. Once again, mission accomplished.
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Below: Each COVID positive patient had a HOT nurse who was fully garbed in PPE and provided bedside care, and a COLD nurse who provided any support needed from outside the room to the HOT nurse.
In January 2021, the EUA for monoclonal antibodies loomed on the horizon. The decision was made to convert the third unit — the old ED — to an outpatient infusion center. Our facility has since provided up to 24 Regeneron infusions per day, seven days a week, following the cumbersome process for preparing this product (our allocation of drug requires the vials be removed from the refrigerator for 20 minutes prior to mixing; it requires eight vials of drug per dose; the volume of the IV fluid bag must be adjusted by removing 20ml prior to the addition of the 20ml of active drug). We were able to improvise once again, creating an “on-call” drug preparation process for the clinic to ensure no doses are wasted. But, we do not expect it to be the last time! On a positive note, all previously empty units are now in use!
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ADAPT I do have one confession: I hate change! I am staunch in my propensity for inertia. But, I am also aware of the case for change in most circumstances. This was a period of immense personal challenge and extreme sensitivity to the pressure on my staff and the other members of the health care team. Coming to work was a cap shoot, and the dice did not always fall in our favor. Teamwork was critical, and calm heads needed to prevail. Agency nurses were hired as fast as they could get them in, and the need for patience with a good measure of caution was the rule of the day. Phone calls, corrections, and teaching huddles expanded exponentially. It was adapt and keep your eyes to the horizon, or go under for the last time. So we adapted. OVERCOME Overcome . Fill in the blank and it probably applies. Overcome fear. Fear of the disease and its far reaching impact, fear of inadequate resources of all kinds, fear of failure. Overcome doubt. Doubt about what you are doing, why you are doing it, and whether it can be done. Overcome disbelief. Disbelief that you are expected to do more with less, over and over again. Disbelief that you find yourself riding the tail of a dragon you cannot control. Disbelief that you are expected to go home, “take care of yourself,” and get up the next day and do it all over again. And disbelief — and relief — that you actually do it! SUMMARY It has been an arduous journey for us all, to say the least. I know I am not the only pharmacist to experience the feeling of grabbing a gator while trying not to get bit. You all have your stories to share and to use as teachable moments when appropriate. Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” I found in this difficulty the opportunity to learn to manage change for the better, to use a team-based approach to solve issues, and to support my staff as we transitioned through multiple phases of service expansion. Improvise, adapt, overcome. I hope you can keep these three words in your self-care arsenal for future challenges.
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Above:The HOT nurse had the responsibility of not only providing needed medical care, but alot of trying to minimize the feeling of isolation patients felt while in the strictest of isolation. These nurses became communication liaisons for patients and their families, as well as critical spiritual and emotional support providers for their patients.
I found in this difficulty the opportunity to learn to manage change for the better, to use a team-based approach to solve issues, and to support my staff as we transitioned through multiple phases of service expansion.
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Community Pharmacy Procedures in a Pandemic By D ixie Leikach, RPh, MBA, EACA, Past Grand President, Epsilon Alumni
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harmacy ownership can be challenging in a normal environment. Operating during a pandemic has certainly put my husband, Neil, and I to the test. We were celebrating the beginning of 2020 with the sale of our Finksburg location and adjusting to having only two pharmacies. In February, I was inducted as the American College of Apothecaries President at what ended up being one of the last inperson pharmacy conferences of 2020. There was conversation about a new virus but no indication that this would be the last in-person pharmacy meeting for the foreseeable future! Almost immediately upon coming home from that meeting, Neil and I started making changes in the pharmacy. The first week of March, I attended a network meeting with a speaker who owns a cleaning company. He spoke about the new virus and what products were being used to help businesses protect their employees and clients. This information made me realize that we should be doing a better job, especially during periods of widespread illness. Immediately, our procedures were altered to include cleaning frequently touched surfaces at the beginning and end of each day. Areas touched by patients were cleaned between patients. We hired the above-mentioned cleaning company for weekly service. Social
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distancing became the new buzzword and we paid attention to what other businesses were changing. The race was on to get needed materials. I picked up signage on the printing company’s last day of business. Larry Hogan, the Maryland Governor, was quick to order a shut-down of non-essential businesses in the middle of March.
Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare worker and the most visible. Let’s make sure our actions ref lect only the best for our profession. Luckily, pharmacy was deemed essential and we were able to continue to operate. Neil and I made the decision to protect our team and close our front-end to outside traffic and switch to curbside and delivery service only. More signs
were made, literally “in house” this time, and announcements were sent on social media and through our phone service. Our patients needed supplies and we needed to make sure we provided a way for our patients to get them. Our team searched our wholesaler stock throughout the day, phone calls started taking longer as we reviewed our current supply with patients, and supply stock signs were posted on the front windows. Masks became part of the required uniform for our team while inside the pharmacy. We did have to make the difficult decision to pause our clinical services, such as immunizations and therapeutic shoe fittings. Actual signatures for deliveries and pickups were paused once PBMs and credit card merchants verified that this would not be mandatory during the pandemic. We are a family business already, with our son, Eric, and daughter-in-law, Ke’Onna already working for us. Our other son, Marc, had to pitch in to help with the curbside service. I stayed home to search local grocery stores for our W INTER / SPRING 2021
household needs and continually update our policy and procedures with the latest “best practice” recommendation. Plus, I spent much of the summer volunteering for the Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corp, entering the thousands of volunteers into the database. Neil and I both volunteer for the Maryland Emergency Task Force, which was responsible for the distribution of Remdesivir to the Maryland hospitals and is planning the vaccine distribution. We opened our front end in June when non-essential businesses reopened in Maryland and we were confident that we had the equipment to protect our team. Masks are required for anyone coming into the store, plastic is installed at the counter areas, and directional arrows placed on the floor. We have limits on the number of people allowed in the front of the pharmacy and at the time of this writing everyone must remain six feet apart. These measures are still in place, as well as the increased cleaning procedures. Honestly, there W INTER / SPRING 2021
We must continue the conversation of lessons learned and advocate for the pharmacy profession to be an integral part of the improvement of health care in our country. is not any plan to remove any of these measures when the pandemic is resolved. August was approaching and we knew we would have to address the immunization issue. We service about 1,000 beds of assisted living patients and provide their influenza vaccine. Research into what other pharmacies had implemented to maintain their immunization services was done and our pharmacists felt comfortable with what we put in place. One pharmacist was designated to do all the facility clinics and she is tested weekly for COVID. The other pharmacists have their designated PPE to perform any in-store vaccines. Every precaution to maintain the safety of our team and
patients is being attempted to the best of our ability and knowledge. While the COVID pandemic has been challenging, there have been some silver linings. The importance of pharmacists as a member of the health-care team is becoming more apparent. There have been executive orders and national allowances for expansion of pharmacist-based services. We met our front-end sales goal for the first time in years! All kidding aside, pharmacists have been at the forefront of this pandemic and our tireless service to our patients’ health is being recognized. This is an excellent opportunity to make sure pharmacists set the example of how to handle emergencies and continue to step up where needed. We need to speak up when there are examples of ways things should be improved. Hearing that pharmacists are not considered front-line workers for the first phase of the COVID vaccine? Not okay. Hearing that pharmacists are being required to provide immunizations without proper PPE or even soap in the pharmacy? Not okay. Eventually the pandemic will be over, and our daily lives may go back to “normal.” We must continue the conversation of lessons learned and advocate for the pharmacy profession to be an integral part of the improvement of health care in our country. All pharmacies should continue the best practices implemented to prevent the spread of disease within our locations so that we can be part of the solution. Pharmacists are the most accessible health-care workers and the most visible. Let’s make sure our actions reflect only the best for our profession. BLUE & GOLD TRIANGLE 11
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Left: As perhaps the most accessible healthcare professional, community pharmacy practitioners provided valuable education and COVID-19 vaccination services to the public and the patients they serve.
What It’s Like to Participate in a COVID-19 Vaccine Trial by Jacqueline Ye, PharmD, BCACP, Clinical Ambulatory Care Pharmacist, Conf luence Health, Wenatchee, WA, Chi alumni member, Nu collegiate alumna
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o say that 2020 has been a strange year is an understatement. Seeing COVID-19 unfold has been a unique experience for my family because we live in nearby places where COVID-19 have been reported first. My parents have been living on a university campus in Shenzhen, China (very close to Hong Kong and over 1,000 km south from Wuhan) since March 2019. My brother lives in Palo Alto, CA, and I live 2.5 hours east of Seattle, WA in Wenatchee. When major news outlets started reporting COVID-19 in Wuhan, I first worried about my parents’ safety in China since a lot of people typically travel between New Year Day and Chinese New Year. I thought it was inevitable that major Chinese cities like Shenzhen will see new cases and put my parents in danger. It didn’t take too long 12 BLUE & GOLD TRIANGLE
when the first identified COVID-19 case in the US came to Everett, WA (north of Seattle, 2.5 hours away from Wenatchee) on my birthday, January 21st. Then in late February, locally transmitted cases started to grow in Palo Alto and the rest of the Puget Sound area of WA state. Although the
pandemic was declared mid-March, the first few local cases in Wenatchee didn’t start to grow significantly until around mid-April. Fast forward to June 2020 when we had racial unrest protests. The Phase 1 trials had just finished wrapping up and were gearing towards the W INTER / SPRING 2021
combined Phase 2/3 trials for later this summer. My workplace, Confluence Health, asked Pfizer to be included as a clinical trial site since the North-Central Washington area has a culturally diverse population. Wenatchee by itself has approximately a 30% Hispanic population. Pfizer agreed, and the recruiting announcement came in the second half of July.
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There was no hesitation knowing that if I participated in the COVID-19 vaccine trial, I would be able to have Asian-Americans represented. I go back to thinking about the journal articles I have previously read. I typically critique the demographics section a lot because applicability mattered so much in making sure patients aren’t left out. As a residency preceptor, I also think back to Winter 2020 when the PGY1 residents and I educated my department on health disparities and social determinants of health. There was no hesitation knowing that if I participated in the COVID-19 vaccine trial, I would be able to have Asian-Americans represented. My father is a professor in pharmacology. His research is not the reason why I pursued my career as a pharmacist, but he is the first source of inspiration as someone who devotes time to finding answers. I typically see myself in the second half of the process in the world of medications: educating patients. I decided that by participating in this clinical trial, I would cross over to the first half in the world of vaccine development. W INTER / SPRING 2021
The clinical research department at Confluence Health was in charge of administering and monitoring the trial. When I was first introduced to the research team, they admitted that they had never seen a clinical trial conducted this quickly in their 50 plus-years of their department’s existence. The clinical trial protocol was transparent and also thoroughly designed for being a 1:1 vaccineto-placebo blinded study. I was comfortable with how the study was designed even though certain elements of the protocol can change as fluidly as the pandemic itself. I received my first shot in late August and received my booster shot three weeks later in mid-September per protocol. I had a feeling that I got the placebo from the first shot as I experienced a unique tension-type headache that I recalled from using saline shots during my immunization certification course in pharmacy school. However, I tolerated the second shot better with only a sore injection site. For the most part, I could not determine what I received. A few weeks after my booster dose, I also gave some blood samples so researchers at Pfizer could compare antibody levels. All participants downloaded an app to record any symptoms of COVID-19. We do receive monetary compensation for each visit and for each weekly log for the next two years. The trial, from what I understand, lasts for two years. I didn’t think too seriously whether I had the placebo or the vaccine for a while until the preliminary clinical trial results. Upon skimming the preliminary results, I suspected again that I was given the placebo because those who got the actual vaccine had more pronounced side effects from the booster shot. I had experienced the opposite. On December 15, a few days after the initial emergency use authorization, I got the call from the clinical research department telling me that I was given the placebo and that I would be crossing over to get the actual vaccine later that week.
I received my first injection on Friday, December 18. The first immediate noticeable side effect was muscle soreness at the injection site. What was unusual for me but expected was registering a fever of 100.4 degrees F the same night I got the vaccine. I also had some mild fatigue and a mild headache. Fortunately, after some over-the-counter naproxen, I felt a lot better. There may have been a Round 2 with an elevated temperature the next night. I also experienced another headache at the same time, so I decided to take some more naproxen. By the third day, I was only mildly tired but generally doing well. I was doing my routine activities without any systemic issues by the fourth day. Three weeks later on January 6th, I received my second injection and only experienced the same pattern for muscle soreness and headache. I was feeling much better by the third day.
When I was first introduced to the research team, they admitted that they had never seen a clinical trial conducted this quickly in their 50 plus-years of their department’s existence. I hope my story inspires pharmacists to seek ways to contribute for the greater good. I am incredibly grateful to help find an answer to end the pandemic, to ensure applicability as an Asian-American, and to further educate individuals as a pharmacist with firsthand experience.
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Sisterhood
Rebuilding Myself Through LKS By Kirsten E. Robles, PharmD, Alpha Zeta Alumni
I
n March of 2019, my father told me he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer, and this turned my world upside down. In May of 2019, he had surgery to remove the tumor, and we were told there was no indication of spread. However, in August of 2019 his scans showed tumors in his liver, and he had advanced to stage 4 disease. He began chemotherapy treatments. With COVID, we had to drop my father off at his appointments and chemotherapy infusions without being able to be with him for support and encouragement. He often did not understand things the doctors were saying, and I so wanted to be with him. His hospital admissions were very distressing as there were no visits allowed, and communications regarding his medical status and condition were less than reassuring. I had the additional concern as a hospital pharmacist of potentially bringing home COVID to my immunocompromised father, despite taking all the precautions to prevent that. We practiced distancing at home, but seeing him could not replace hugging him. Perhaps the hardest thing was knowing my dad was very isolated toward the end of his life. He could not see his friends or do the things that made him happy. He was a fighter, but on August 10, 2020 at 9:15 AM, I lost my father. As cliché as it sounds, my dad was truthfully my best friend. If you got a chance to know my father, you would come to see that I am very similar to him in personality, sense of humor, and temperament. Because of these similarities, my father and I always had a special bond. He was the one person who always understood me and knew how to make me feel better.
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He was the first person I called when I needed advice or help fixing my car. He always pushed me to be independent, try new things, and believe in myself. I was incredibly blessed to have such an amazing father who helped shape me into the woman I am today.
Maybe I would have gotten to this place eventually, but it was the love from my LKS family that jumpstarted my healing process. I cannot express how truly lucky I am to be a Lamb for Life. This loss has been the hardest experience I have every had to go through. I have come to realize that the stages of grief are very real. I had already been angry and done my bargaining when he was diagnosed and began receiving treatment, but for the first few weeks after he passed, I was definitely in denial. It was easy to pretend he was just at home and I would see him next weekend or when I was at my parent’s house I could pretend he was in the hospital. However, it became harder to pretend and the sadness set in. I wanted to be the strong one for my mother and support her, but when I was alone all I could do was cry. It became difficult to get out of bed ,and I had never felt more alone. W INTER / SPRING 2021
Then I went to my see my mother one weekend, and she said a package had come for me. Inside the package was numerous gift cards for local restaurants and a beautiful memorial windchime in honor of my father. My mother and I have been using the gift cards to spend time having a meal together and grow closer. We have the windchime hanging on our back porch. Whenever we hear it chime, we imagine my father is talking to us which has brought me comfort. These thoughtful gifts were from members of my LKS family from my Grand Big through my Great Great Grand Little. While these may have just been gifts to them, they meant the world to me. They reminded me that W INTER / SPRING 2021
no matter what I am going through, there is always someone there for me. This has given me the strength to continue fighting. While I know this grief will never go away and I will never be the same, I also know that I will learn to live with this loss and rebuild myself. Maybe I would have gotten to this place eventually, but it was the love from my LKS family that jumpstarted my healing process. These wonderful women would have never come into my life had it not been for joining LKS, and I cannot express how truly lucky I am to be a Lamb for Life. Remember that when life gets tough, you always have your sisters to lean on. BLUE & GOLD TRIANGLE 15
Sisterhood B O N D I N G V I A T EC H N O LO GY COVID-19 has deeply affected everyone, and one of the biggest transitions that most students have made is being in an online environment by using Zoom and Webex lectures. With this change to online learning, our presidents of Lambda and Alpha Xi chapters saw an opportunity to reach out to each other using our new environment. The thought process was since schools were transitioning online anyway, why not take advantage of the fact that distance is less of a factor since technology can connect us? Our presidents, Melina Nishida of Lambda chapter and Adam Aboubakare of Alpha Xi chapter, came up with the idea and had us, the social committees, make the idea come to life.
members were available for this social and making an agenda for the event on October 16th.
My name is Lauren Santos and I am a part of the social committee of Alpha Xi Chapter, and I worked with Daniel Liu, the Director of Social Affairs of Lambda Chapter. Adam and Melina introduced us to each other around August to start planning the event. With the use of Facebook messenger and a couple Zoom calls, we were able to communicate effectively about finding a date where most
When October 16th came around, we had 51 people show up and it was quite a party! We were able to do three rounds of speed-dating, where Lambda and Alpha Xi students were able to meet each other in their various breakout rooms. Then we concluded the night with online games. Most students played the most popular game as of late, Among Us — an exhilarating spin-off of the
Both social committees worked hard until the day of the event to finalize the details of the event. Bethany Pan and Vanessa Luu of Lambda chapter and Elieen of the Alpha Xi chapter were in charge of setting up the different breakout rooms. This was one of the most crucial and stressful portions of planning because our goal was to have everybody rotate breakout rooms for the first hour to get to know new members, so a big thank you to Bethany, Vanessa, and Elieen for setting up the break out rooms!
classic Mafia game. Codegames was another popular game, where teams of strangers have to guess each other’s thoughts and associate them to the words on the board. The night ended with laughter and new friends. Our chapter members had a great time at this social, and we asked them to also share some of their thoughts and experiences. “It was nice to hear about how students were adjusting to online schooling and how our LKS chapters bonded. It was so much fun.” — BY LAUREN SANTOS, ALPHA XI
Sisterhood and Education in the Age of COVID 16
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A DA P TAT I O N COVD-19 has had a huge impact on life. Classes and rotations went virtual back in March 2020, which undoubtedly presented both professors and students with many challenges. Students, including myself, were no longer able to use many of the helpful on-campus resources and missed out on the value of in-person experiences. Professors had to adapt to online teaching and testing platforms. This past year has been challenging, but I know that the many adjustments and sacrifices we’ve collectively made were not in vain, as these actions contributed to keeping everyone safe. Despite the fact that two of my six rotations were virtual, I am extremely grateful that my professors did what they could to preserve the quality of my learning experience. — BY KAITLYN KENJESKY, ALPHA
FO C U S I N G O N W H AT YO U C A N G A I N Only weeks after I was elected to serve a president of Alpha Rho for the 2020-21 year, my vision of what that year would look like for my chapter was completely transformed by the decision of schools — including mine — to shift to an online format in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though I was pretty devastated that my experience as a member and as president would now be anything but “normal,” there was something inspiring about leading my chapter through this change. I saw that an online format actually created opportunities for us to try out things we’ve never done before. We explored different ways to strengthen our sisterhood virtually. We expanded our social media presence. We made new connections with alumni. We initiated nine more sisters into our chapter. We raised more donations for Project HOPE in one semester than ever before. We’ve accomplished so much and I couldn’t be more proud. It all came down to focusing not on what this challenge took away from us, but on what we could stand to gain from it.
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— BY SAMANTHA CARLETON, ALPHA RHO
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ISTOCK / IIULIA KUDRINA
Apothecary
The 2021-2022 Women’s Health Issues Topic:
Implicit Racial Bias in Healthcare How Implicit Bias Affects our Patients By Allison Evans, Pharm.D., MBA Candidate, Phi Chapter
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T
his past year, the discussion of race has been brought to the forefront of our minds. As an organization, we have stood in solidarity against racism and inequality. As healthcare providers, we must ensure that we are also committed to providing an equitable and inclusive environment for our patients. While society may currently stand divided, the attention that we provide to those in our care cannot be. Our patients experience implicit bias in their everyday lives, but when it comes to their healthcare, they should not. Let us discuss, then, how implicit bias affects our patients and how we can prevent it from occurring while providing them with excellent care.
Inferior Care The care that black people receive from their providers has contributed to increased morbidity and mortality for the population. A 2005 report by the
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National Academy of Medicine found that even when all other factors are held constant, such as insurance status, age, income, and condition, physicians give their black patients inferior care. People of a minority race are less likely to receive appropriate cardiac care, transplants, dialysis, or the best treatments for stroke, cancer, and AIDS. Based solely on their race, these people are more likely to die from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. In another study of 400 U.S. hospitals, black patients were found to be more likely to receive less desirable treatments, such as higher rates of limb amputations. Another study showed that physicians were less likely to prescribe pain medications to black patients. The implicit bias that physicians may hold causes them to provide inferior healthcare to black patients. These biases can be conscious or unconscious, and few physicians admit to holding negative attitudes towards other racial groups, making this harm to their patients unintentional.1
Stress More exposure to stress over a patient’s life increases their susceptibility to morbidity and mortality. Compared to white patients, patients in a minority group experience higher levels of stress in their lives, and this is a health disadvantage. Stress can be associated with
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a higher likelihood of IV drug use, smoking, alcohol use, physical inactivity and unprotected sex. Depression, anxiety, and anger have been linked with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. 2
Diabetes Compared to white Americans, black Americans are nearly twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes due to the biological risk factors of higher weight and more fat around the abdomen, especially in women. A study from Northwestern University found that losing excess weight can reduce this racial health disparity for patients, but this is much more easily said than done. 3
Remain Diligent We must keep in mind that implicit bias could be affecting any healthcare professional we meet, as well as harming our black and other minority patients. Remaining diligent and watching out for inappropriate prescribing, underprescribing, and lack of access to specialized procedures or health efforts is important to curbing implicit bias. We must all work together to make healthcare more equitable and inclusive for all patients. REFERENCES: 1. Bridges, K. M. Implicit Bias and Racial Disparities in Health Care. Retrieved from https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/ publications/ human_rights_magazine_home/ the-state-of-healthcare-in-the-united-states/ racial-disparities-in-health-care/?fbclid=IwAR0 XmIrOBOTxGUpdtSOQYQVD84AmOgBsr2L09q Rr33bIcm-1apaQuiAj1WA 2. Bulatao, R. (1970, January 01). Understanding Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in Late Life: A Research Agenda. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ books/NBK24685/ 3. Hicklin, T., Ph.D. (2018, January 23). Factors contributing to higher incidence of diabetes for black Americans. Retrieved from https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-
Recognizing and Minimizing Bias In April 2016, the Joint Commission published a QuickSafety advisory Issue 23, entitled Implicit Bias in Health Care. This issue made the statement that ‘racial and socioeconomic inequity persists in healthcare.’ The advisory went on to explain that implicit (subconscious) bias refers to attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. Several recommendations were made to assist health care practitioners in overcoming implicit bias. Perspective-taking: understanding and developing the cognitive component of empathy can reduce bias and inhibit unconscious sterotype and prejudice Emotional regulation skills: developing mechanisms to associate positive emotions during clinical encounters Relationship-building skills: seeking to create partnerships with patients that allow the clinician and the patient to work toward a common goal. The document goes on to describe safety actions to be considered to ensure the best outcomes and zero harm for all patients. These include but are not limited to: Implement training programs related to bias and diversity awareness Promote racial diversity at all levels Provide equity-specific targeted feedback to all healthcare personnel Investigate all reports of discrimination and unfair treatment For more detailed information, go to www.jointcommission.org/newsletter
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Project HOPE
FACT OR FICTION?
By Sharon Brown, MS, RPh, Editor, Blue & Gold Triangle, Alpha Iota Alumni PROJECT HOPE RECOGNIZES
COVID-19 as the gravest threat to global health in our lifetime. As healthcare workers around the world fight the spread of the deadly virus, Project HOPE has mounted a global response to provide lifesaving support on the front lines. To date, Project HOPE has distributed well over 11 million pieces of equipment, provided training for over 83,000 health workers and frontline personnel, and reached more than 150 countries. Project HOPE’s strategy focuses on providing lifesaving protective gear in high-risk areas, training frontline health care workers to treat COVID-19, deploying medical volunteers to provide surge staffing, and helping health systems around the world ensure continuity of health services. Together with valued partners, Project HOPE is committed to meeting the challenge and placing power in the hands of healthcare workers around the world. IN THE UNITED STATES Project HOPE is working with dedicated partners to rapidly obtain and distribute protective gear for American doctors, nurses, and frontline care providers. Millions of pieces of PPE have been distributed across the US to multiple states and Puerto Rico. Project HOPE has also activated its 20 BLUE & GOLD TRIANGLE
global roster of medical volunteers to provide qualified staff surge capacity and mobile testing in hard-hit areas. Online training for doctors and nurses has been made available to develop Master Trainers in infection prevention and control (see DisasterReady.org). AROUND THE WORLD In conjunction with partners, Project HOPE is mobilizing PPE to high-risk countries, along with vital training and contact tracing capabilities. In association with experts from Brown University, Project HOPE launched a remote COVID-19 training program for health workers in at-risk countries. These training programs have reached over 70,000 health care workers around the world.Project HOPE has also provided millions of facemasks, isolation gowns, protective coveralls, exam gloves, and other protective gear to countries around the world. HOPE has also facilitated the distribution of lifesaving medical equipment to support patient care and treatment, including disinfection machines, medical air compressors, and ventilators. Despite the incredible challenge this outbreak presents, our philanthropy remains dedicated to its’ mission and continues working to help everyone access the health care they need to reach the full potential of every individual.
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Responding to COVID-19 Around the World
6 Myths About COVID-19 As more and more facts are uncovered about COVID-19, it is evident that misinformation — sometimes referred to as a “pandemic of misinformation” — is almost as common as information based on science and proven evidence. Project HOPE recently posted these 6 myths about COVID-19.
Myth #1: The vaccine isn’t safe FACT: The COVID-19 vaccines followed
the same process all vaccines do and showed no major safety concerns in trials.1
Myth #2: You don’t need the vaccine if you have had the virus FACT: Natural immunity doesn’t last forever, and you can catch COVID-19 again. 2
Myth #3: Masks don’t work FACT: Wearing masks remains one
of the most basic ways to prevent the spread of the virus. 3
Myth #4: Kids can’t spread the virus FACT: Children can both catch and spread the virus. 4
Myth #5: We can achieve herd immunity by letting the virus spread in the community FACT: Herd immunity through natural infection is not reasonably possible. 5
Myth #6: We know COVID-19 doesn’t cause long-term damage FACT: Time to recovery is lengthy, and long term effects are not fully known. 6 REFERENCES: 1. covid19community.nih.gov/sites/default/ files/2020-ceal%20infographics_vaccine%20 ourney_12.1.20.jpg 2. healthline.com/ health-news/ how-long-doesimmunity-last-after-covid-19-what-we-know 3. healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/ hlthaff.2020.00818> 4. nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/12/wenow-know-how-much-children-spread-cornavirus 5. mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cornavirus/ in-depth/ herd-immunity-and-cornavius/art20486808 6. health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/ what-are-the-long-lasting-effects-of-covid-19
—E mma Schwartz (Adapted from www.ProjectHOPE.org)
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A Bit of Our History
Educating Our Members By Christine Perry, RPh, Past Grand President, Alpha Alumni Educating our members on the history, traditions and operations of the Fraternity and individual chapters has always been important to Lambda Kappa Sigma. New member education is the cornerstone for shaping members who will dictate the future of LKS. As the Fraternity grew, there was a need for a new process to provide a strong, consistent fraternity education program. This was considered vital to the success of Lambda Kappa Sigma as a Greek letter organization. A PLEDGE handbook was first published in 1928, and revised in 1934. At that time, it was printed with the National constitution and Bylaws. In 1948,
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convention delegates voted to print the Constitution and the Pledge Handbook separately. In 1960 a completely revised Pledge Handbook was prepared by Julia Pishalski. In the 1980’s a Member Manual was produced and given to each sister at induction. The last issue of the member manual was produced in 2006 before moving to an online document. The Member Manual continues as one of the most important documents of LKS. It includes the basic tenets that we strive to instill in all our new members along with being a membership resource after initiation.
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
LAMBDA KAPPA SIGMA Pharmacy Fraternity P.O. Box 570 Muskego WI 53150-0570
PAID ALPENA, MI PERMIT 27
Congratulations to our 2021 Educational Grant Recipients! The Lambda Kappa Sigma Educational Trust and the Educational Grants Committee are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Educational Grants. Please join us in congratulating the following members, who have exhibited leadership, scholarship, and dedication to the Fraternity and the profession of pharmacy:
Marilyn & Joe E. Haberle Educational Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
(ALPHA BETA) UCONN, SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
(TAU) DUQUESNE, MYLEN SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
(ALPHA PHI) WILKES, NESBITT SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Adele Lobraico Lowe Leadership Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
(ALPHA XI) PACIFIC, SCHOOL OF PHARMACY & HEALTH SCIENCES
(ALPHA NU) KENTUCKY, COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
(NU) DRAKE, COLLEGE OF PHARMACY & HEALTH SCIENCES
Norma Chipman Wells Loyalty Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
(ALPHA ALPHA) TEMPLE, SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
(ALPHA KAPPA) GEORGIA, COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
(BETA BETA) WESTERN NEW ENGLAND, COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
Mary Connolly Livingston Educational Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
(TAU) DUQUESNE, MYLEN SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
(ALPHA PI) ST. JOHN'S, COLLEGE OF PHARMACY & HEALTH SCIENCES
(ALPHA PHI) WILKES, NESBITT SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Samantha Troy
Adam Aboubakare
Erika Mackie
Meaghan Murphy
Katelyn Grenell
Amanda Zahn
Kelsey Bouwman
Isabelle Litvak
Michelle Gronski
Autumn Campbell
Marissa Verro
Thahn Truc Vo
Cora E. Craven Educational Grant
Deanna Fox
(ALPHA PHI) WILKES, NESBITT SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
THE EDUCATIONAL GRANTS PROGRAM is funded by the Lambda Kappa Sigma Educational Trust. The Educational Trust was established in 1974 for the purpose of perpetuating a financial program to assist members in reaching their goals in pharmaceutical education. THE TRUST has provided nearly 400 grants to our student members through grants named for outstanding Fraternity sisters and supporters: Dr. B. Olive Cole, Cora E. Craven, Mary Connolly Livingston, Norma Chipman Wells, Adele Lobraico Lowe and Marilyn & Joe E. Haberle.